The Great British Bake Off is preparing for its 17th series, introducing 12 new amateur bakers to the tent. Among the contestants are a paediatric doctor and a drag king, who will compete to be crowned the 2026 champion.
The popular Channel 4 baking competition is scheduled to return to television screens later this month. Nigella Lawson will join the judging panel, following Dame Prue Leith's departure, alongside returning judge Paul Hollywood. Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond will reprise their roles as the show's presenters.
The new line-up includes Clara, a marketing graduate from Portugal living in Hertfordshire, and Connie, an NHS hospital discharge lead from London. Other bakers include Danni from Dorset, Gabe from Birmingham who performs as drag king Blu Romantic, and Gary, a retired garment technologist from Nottinghamshire.
Also entering the tent are Molly, an accessibility co-ordinator from London, Moyin, a political economy student from Essex, and Mo, a law student from the West Midlands. Nikki, an advertising post-producer from London, Shannon, a project planner from Gloucestershire, Tom, a hairdresser from West Yorkshire, and Yannis, a paediatric doctor from London, complete the baker dozen.
The Great British Bake Off will air on Channel 4 on September 22 at 8pm.