Meet The Cast Of The Great British Bake Off 2024
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3 months ago
Twelve new bakers are hoping to impress the judges
It’s almost that time again: The Great British Bake Off is about to return, and 12 fresh faces are ready to rise to the challenge. So, will it be perfect pies and beautiful bread rolls, or will it be soggy bottoms and cracked cakes? Time to meet the 2024 Bake Off cast.
Back Row: Gill, Illiyin, Hazel, Christiaan, Andy, Mike, John, Jeff. Front Row: Sumayah, Dylan, Georgie, Nelly
The Great British Bake Off Series 15: Meet The Cast
Andy
Andy is a 44-year-old car mechanic from Essex, who loves exploring the British countryside with his family. (He’s just like us, then!)
‘Family lies not only at the centre of Andy’s world, but also of his baking. As a child, baking alongside his mum, Andy first learned the much-loved family staples: apple crumble to follow a Sunday roast and Bakewell tarts made using pastry offcuts (to make sure nothing went to waste) among them. Now, he bakes for his partner, Nickie, and hopes to inspire his daughter, Maisie, to follow in his baking footsteps – always with the aim of making his adored mum proud! When he’s not in the kitchen, Andy is incredibly active. He plays football, goes to the gym and loves a long walk with Nickie, Maisie and their miniature Schnauzer, Arthur, as well as exploring the far corners of the country in their motor home.’
Christiaan
Christiaan is a 33-year-old menswear designer from London, bringing some Dutch flair to the Bake Off tent this year.
‘Born in Emmen, a small town in The Netherlands, close to the border with Germany, Christiaan studied fashion in Amsterdam and then moved to the UK seven years ago, arriving in London to work for a leading fashion brand. He is passionate about visiting modern art galleries and stately homes. He loves nurturing his veg patch and dancing away in his kitchen to his favourite pop tunes! His eye for fashion and design is definitely something he brings to his bakes, which are meticulously detailed and beautiful, as well as his love of gardening – floral scents and citrus notes are among his favourite flavours. Bread is where he finds comfort – reminding him of the age-shaped bakes his mum would make for him and his siblings on their birthdays.’
Dylan
Joining the 2024 Bake Off cast after a gap year is Dylan, a 20-year-old retail temp from Buckinghamshire.
‘Curiosity for culture runs through Dylan’s veins and he loves to travel. He recently took a gap year travelling through Southeast Asia, exploring the food and meeting new people at every stop. He is an avid skateboarder and has a fascination for the way that ’90s PCs and vintage cars were built. With influence from his artistic mum, he has always loved to paint and will paint Japanese-inspired characters and cartoons on his t-shirts. Super-proud of his fusion roots – his mother is Indian and his father Japanese–Belgian – Dylan loves experimenting with sweet and spice in his baking. His presentation style is influenced by the beautiful Japanese bakes he tried on his travels and through following the work of French pâtissérie chefs on social media.’
Georgie
Georgie is a 33-year-old paediatric nurse from Cararthenshire, hoping to channel her Italian roots into some of her bakes this series.
‘Georgie’s love of food, and particularly of baking, is firmly embedded in her Italian roots and in the days she spent cooking with her Nonna Rosa. Georgie is a nature-loving forager, who takes inspiration from the food growing in the fields and hedgerows around her, as well as the abundance in her garden and the discoveries she has made on her travels. She is a self-proclaimed cannoli connoisseur! Along with a husband and three children at home in their Welsh farmhouse, Georgie has ten chickens, two ducks, two dogs and a cat. She has an impressive collection of crockery and tableware (to the point of obsession) and loves to sing in her kitchen – musicals, and especially The Phantom of the Opera, are a favourite.’
Gill
Gill is a 53-year-old senior category manager from Lancashire, with a penchant for precision.
‘Gill is convinced that her love of precision data and her inherent creativity are the perfect match for successful baking. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t bake – growing up, baking was very much a family activity. Since her father passed away in 2015, Gill has used baking as a source of comfort and has put her skills to good use, raising money for Alzheimer’s charities in his memory. Pies, cakes and pastry, including her dad’s signature lemon meringue pie, were staples of her childhood, so her baking is very much traditional in style with a modern twist. Her sticky toffee Christmas pudding has been a hit at family celebrations for the past five years! Gill’s claim to fame? In 1993 she was the UK’s youngest ever driving instructor, aged 21.’
Hazel
The oldest contestant in this year’s Bake Off cast, Hazel is a 71-year-old former nail technician from Kent.
‘Married to her childhood sweetheart for 51 years, Hazel has four children, one of whom still lives at home while the other three, and her ten grandchildren, all live close by. She loves nothing more than to gather everyone together for dinners and parties, and especially loves their get-togethers at Christmas. Ask Hazel to make you a birthday cake and it may well come with working parts – she has made several ‘car’ cakes with remote-controlled wheels and working lights. Her granddaughter’s seventh birthday cake was a carousel with 500 edible diamonds that took Hazel two weeks to make! When she’s not baking or entertaining her family, Hazel will be exercising her competitive streak, playing bingo.’
Illiyin
Illiyin is a 31-year-old midwife from Norfolk, hoping to bring plenty of her favourite Middle Eastern ingredients to her bakes.
‘Born in London as one of eight siblings, Illiyin grew up in Norfolk in a busy household in which she helped her mum to bake, soon becoming the go-to family member for birthday cakes. Living in a community of myriad cultures and nationalities, Illiyin is inspired by the ingredients and flavours of many different cuisines. For example, she loves using Middle Eastern ingredients, such as dried fruits, nuts, honey, rose and mint, in her cakes; while her savoury bakes are typically inspired by the flavours of the Caribbean. A qualified midwife and published author, Illiyin now freelances to help women as they embark on their parenthood journey. She lives with her sister and nieces, and her Spanish husband and their two young children.’
Jeff
Originally from New York, Jeff is a 67-year-old former university lecturer who has been living in West Yorkshire since 1987.
‘Originally from the Bronx, in New York, Jeff arrived in the UK in 1979, when he emigrated with his English girlfriend (now wife), whom he’d met while she was hitchhiking her way across America and he was a sports coach for a summer camp. They have lived in Yorkshire since 1987. A keen and competitive sportsman, Jeff has now hung up his basketball boots, but still loves swimming, going to the gym and long countryside walks. He began baking in earnest when his children were little, having learned the basics from his grandmother and Hungarian great-grandmother when he himself was a child. As you might hope (and perhaps even expect), he makes a mean New York Cheesecake.’
John
John is a 37-year-old directorate support manager from the West Midlands, who bakes to honour his nan, who taught him the basics as a child.
‘Born and bred in the West Midlands, John has been a hairdresser and an estate agent, but he found his calling working in the NHS, keeping schedules and theatre bookings running like clockwork. His job keeps him busy, so after work his favourite pastime is to relax at home with his cavapoo, Stanley. Over weekends, you can find John and Stanley hitting the countryside for long walks. John learned to bake with his nan, making fairy cakes and pies, and now bakes to honour his nan’s memory and pass on the skills she taught him to his two young nephews. He loves classic bakes with a twist – using herbs and other flavourings to give his bakes something different. His favourite bake, though, is a classic lemon tart.’
Mike
Mike is a 29-year-old farm manager from Wiltshire, passionate about home grown goods and seasonal ingredients.
‘Shortlisted for Young Farmer of the Year at the 2024 National Arable and Grassland Awards, and considered a friend to all, Mike is a fourth-generation farmer, working on his family farm alongside his parents and sister. He is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community within farming and was an ambassador for the National Farmers Union in 2022. Amazingly, Mike is growing all the flowers for his upcoming wedding to partner Matt. Mike’s baking style is homely and wholesome. He likes making big, hearty bakes using high-quality local ingredients that can satisfy lots of people at parties and gatherings. He especially loves using seasonal fruits and edible flowers from his garden and farm – and is even making his own wedding cake.’
Nelly
Nelly is a 44-year-old palliative care assistant from Dorset, who grew up baking bread with her father in Slovakia and Austria.
‘Alongside her busy job in night-time palliative care, Nelly is a devoted mum to two young boys, who, with her husband Chand, are the biggest fans of her bakes. Nelly grew up with her dad in Slovakia, then moved to Austria to study nursing. Her dad loved to bake bread, but wasn’t keen on sweet baking, so it was only as an adult, after she had attempted a neighbour’s gingerbread recipe, that Nelly extended her skills. Completely self-taught, Nelly loves adding the flavours of Slovakian cuisine into her bakes, as well as spices representing her husband’s Pakistani heritage – apple and cinnamon are among her favourite ingredients. Nelly indulges her creative talents making jewellery, and is a big fan of true crime.’
Sumaya
And finally, the youngest contestant in this year’s Bake Off cast is Sumaya, a 19-year-old incoming dentistry student from Lancashire.
‘Presently on her gap year, Sumayah is indulging her sweet tooth before going onto study Dentistry. She lives in Lancashire with her parents and siblings and not only aced her sciences, but is incredibly creative, too – she is a keen sewer, making her own clothes, and has recently taken up photography. An entirely self-taught baker, Sumayah meticulously researches her creations, combining myriad techniques and recipes to create an eclectic and imaginative fusion of cultures and flavours. The project that confirmed her love for baking was a macaron tower she made for her aunt’s mehndi wedding celebration – the result stood 1 metre tall, included 240 macarons in four different flavours, and a cascade of flowers.’
When Is Bake Off Back?
The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 at 8pm on Tuesday 24 September. Episodes will be available to stream at channel4.com after they have aired.
Find all the details on presenters, episodes and what else to expect in our full guide to Bake Off 2024.
