Great British Bake Off 2026 contestants announced
The warm weather is officially winding down; darkness is creeping in earlier with every evening, and suddenly you have an unmistakable craving for sweet treats, fresh bread, and a wholesome cooking competition.
Of course, it’s no coincidence: it’s almost Great British Bake Off season.
The Channel 4 spectacular returns this autumn with a fresh cohort of amateur pâtissiers, budding boulangers, and homestead heroes—and one of them is no stranger to their creations being aired on television.
12 contestants are expected to go head-to-head in the 2026 Bake Off tent, with Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond once again on hosting duties.
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Following Dame Prue Leith’s departure at the end of last season, beloved food writer and television cook Nigella Lawson is stepping up to helm the judging panel with show stalwart Paul Hollywood.
The Domestic Goddess, 66, has already been praised by critics, with The Telegraph’s Anita Singh describing her as ‘heaven for social media’.
“The woman is a walking meme factory. Her every utterance comes over like a line from Emmanuelle. 'The flavours are giving me a lot of pleasure.' 'I like a bit of goo.' 'I'm hoping to find that wonderful frisson’,” she concurred.
Bake Off Class of 2026
On 22 September, GBBO fans will become acquainted with 12 new competition hopefuls for the first time.
All will be vying for various Star Baker titles and the prestige of becoming the next Bake Off Champion.
Whoever makes it to the podium will join an elite pantheon, including Nadiya Hussain, Candice Brown, Rahul Mandal, and Georgie Grasso.
This year’s batch includes a Vienna-born baker who actually learned English from watching the show, a self-proclaimed ‘northern diva’, and a former U20 County Champion in the 100m.
Gabe
Grimsby-raised Gabe, 32, is an artist, drag king, and costume designer whose creations have previously appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
Gabe, who is a self-proclaimed ‘professional nuisance’, describes their baking style as ‘gorgeous but very homemade’.
Outside of the kitchen, they perform as Blü Romantic and are a keen dinner party host’, as per the official Bake Offwebsite.
Clara
24-year-old Clara, a Portuguese marketing graduate, only began baking two years ago by recreating classics like Tarte de Nata for her fiancé and his family.
She promises to bring a slice of Aveiro sunshine to the GBBO tent.
Yannis
Yannis, 28, is a London-based paediatric doctor challenging the notion that Bangladeshi men don't belong in the kitchen.
The Vienna-born contestant says that watching GBBO helped him learn English.
Connie
Known as ‘the cake lady’, Connie, 63, is a dedicated NHS worker who understands that the best antidote to a hectic day is to get stuck into a good recipe.
When not at work or in the kitchen, you can find her running a music centre in London with her husband, Myke.
Molly
With over 25 years of experience in the kitchen, Molly, an accessibility coordinator from London, is one of this season’s baking veterans.
The 31-year-old loves traditional bakes and classic flavours.
She’s also a keen musical theatre and Formula 1 fan.
Tom
Having mastered the perfect brandy snap by age 10, Tom from West Yorkshire is more than ready to conquer the Bake Offtent one fun bake at a time.
The hairdresser, 25, often uses his colleagues as taste-testers, and loves nothing more than creating bakes that are ‘witty, pretty and, most importantly, delicious’.
Nikki
Londoner Nikki is an advertising post-producer and former nightclub podium dancer.
The 50-year-old’s sweet treats are apparently just as vibrant as her personality, and she’s been known to bake to the beat of R&B music and classical melodies alike.
Danni
A foraging fan who isn’t afraid to get creative in the kitchen—all eyes are on HGV service centre worker Danni, 25, this season.
They apparently get their decoration inspiration from video games and animation, and have been known to create their own visual novel games. How’s that for a good time?
Moyin
At 22, political economy student Moyin is the second-youngest contestant to enter the GBBO tent in 2026.
The Essex academic was previously crowned U20 County Champion in the 100m and loves using flavours inspired by his Nigerian heritage.
Shannon
Project planner and scheduler Shannon, 29, is no stranger to trending new paths… She apparently once rode a horse through a drive-thru!
The Gloucestershire lass described her baking style as ‘whimsical, quirky and rustic’, so expect to see some jaw-dropping showstoppers.
Gary
Retired garment technologist Gary only picked up his penchant for baking five years ago.
Since then, he’s become obsessed with bold flavours and impeccable presentation.
When not slaving behind the stove, expect to find this year’s oldest contestant walking with his two Border Collies, or out with his animals on the smallholding he shares with his wife, Donna.
Mo
He may only be 21, but Mo’s kitchen skills may be far beyond his years.
The law student is from the West Midlands and is on a journey to make his family proud.
Mo enjoys infusing Asian flavours with traditional British dishes.
The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 on 22 September.
Topics: TV and Film, Celebrity, UK Food
Ella Scott