Who Won The Great British Bake Off 2023 Trophy?
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12 months ago
You can catch up with Series 14 on Channel 4
It’s nearly that time of year again, when a group of amateur bakers gathers in a big white tent in the middle of the UK countryside to make biscuits, breads and puddings. We’re talking about the Great British Bake Off, of course. The show is coming back for its fourteenth series very soon, and we’re ready to follow along the highs and lows of Chocolate Week (always filmed during a heat wave), Bread Week (always overseen by a very stern Paul Hollywood) and Pastry Week (always with witness to a meltdown or two). Here’s everything you need to know, from airing dates and host change-ups to where you can watch the show.
The Great British Bake Off 2023: Everything You Need To Know About Series 14
Who Won This Year’s Great British Bake Off Trophy?
Following the final, shown on 28 November 2023, baker Matty Edgell was crown the winner of series 14 of The Great British Bake Off. Speaking on his win, the Cambridgeshire-based PE teach said: ‘I don’t know what to say, everyone said “you should go on Bake Off” and I thought it was a throwaway comment and never really listened to it… There have been so many ups and so many down. So many times when I had to be pulled through by the people closest to me. I cannot imagine I have been that much fun to live within the last 10 weeks. I am happy for them as much as I am for me. It still doesn’t feel real.
‘It was quite a tough final,’ he added. ‘We were all aware of how close we were in baking skills. Dan and Josh were great to have as fellow finalists, but it was a shock for everybody when Tasha went at the semi-final. She was such a good baker and equally such a lovely person, we were all so sorry to see her go.’
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Congratulating Matty on his win, judge Prue Leith said: ‘I have never met a more cheerful, smiling uncomplaining and willing baker. He was just having such a good time, learning as much as he could, taking on board everything either of us said.’
Congratulations Matty!
How To Watch Great British Bake Off
In the UK, episodes of The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4, with episodes available to watch on catch-up after they’ve aired. You can stream previous episodes on channel4.com.
US audiences, meanwhile, will be able to catch the show (dubbed The Great British Baking Show across the pond) on Netflix. Previous seasons are already available to watch on the platform too. netflix.com
What Are The Weekly Themes On GBBO?
Following some backlash, the national-themed weeks were scrapped for series 14. In 2022, there was a Mexican Week, and the previous year there was German week, but this led to complaints of cultural appropriation. Speaking to The Guardian, executive producer Kieran Smith said this year’s competition would be ‘very traditional’, adding: ‘we’re not doing any national themes this year’. Instead, the show will focus on all the classics: cakes, biscuits, bread, patisserie and chocolate – plus new themes of party food and botanicals.
Themes At A Glance
- Week One: Cake
- Week Two: Biscuits
- Week Three: Bread
- Week Four: Chocolate
- Week Five: Pastry
- Week Six: Botanical
- Week Seven: Desserts
- Week Eight: Party
- Week Nine: Patisserie
- Week Ten: The Final
Who Were The Contestants In Series 14?
There are 12 contestants on this series of Bake Off. Here’s the full list of contestants who took part in series 14:
- Matty, 28: Matt describes his baking style as ‘rustic but neat’, and particularly loves incorporating chocolate, citrus and nuts into his creations.
- Dan, 42: ‘Perfectionist’ Dan loves a challenging bake, and has a particular penchant for pies and puddings.
- Josh, 27: Chemist Josh brings his scientific skills into the kitchen, using old baking books to give traditional classics a modern twist.
- Amos, 43: A hospitality professional with a love for film and theatre, who compares his baking style to the converted church he lives in: ‘traditional with a modern twist’.
- Keith, 60: Keith has been baking since his childhood, but recently he has returned to books of the 1970s to try recipes that were once ‘beyond’ him.
- Abbi, 27: Yorkshire-born Abbi gets her baking inspiration from the great outdoors, using home-grown veg and foraged ingredients.
- Nicky, 52: For Nicky, baking now is as fun as it was when she first learnt as a little girl in her gran’s kitchen. Her favourite things to make are pastries, breads and fun birthday cakes for her niece and grandchildren.
- Rowan, 21: Rowan applies his life motto of ‘go big, or go home’ to his baking. He’s known for wowing his uni friends with showstopping cakes – including a three-tier, 12-layer masterpiece he made for his own 21st birthday.
- Dana, 25: Self-professed ‘untidy baker’ Dana loves a semi-naked cake with neat lines and minimalist decoration – often made with spices associated with her Indian heritage.
- Saku, 50: Saku brings her Sri Lankan flavours to her baking: think cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg in sweet pastries and curried pies.
- Cristy, 33: Mum-of-four Cristy focuses on cakes which draw inspiration from her Israeli heritage and her husband’s Jamaican roots.
- Tasha, 27: Tasha’s early kitchen memories are making fairy cakes with her mum and grandma as a young girl. Now she describes her baking style as ‘fearless’ – she loves to challenge herself with ‘near-impossible designs’.
When Did This Season Of The Great British Bake Off Start?
The Great British Bake Off returned on Tuesday 26 September 2023. As per the trend set by previous series’, episodes air at 8pm every Tuesday on Channel 4.
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Who Will Host The Show?
While it was confirmed that comedian Noel Fielding would be returning to the show, his co-host Matt Lucas has left to pursue other projects (we last heard he had a role in the upcoming Wonka film, which comes out later this year). TV personality – and all-round hosting legend – Alison Hammond stepped in as a brand new host for 2023, so it’s not all bad. She announced she would be joining the GBBO crew back in March 2023 on Instagram, saying: ‘It’s OFFICIAL!!! It’s happening The Great British Bake off! Let’s have it!’
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Who Will Judge The Competition?
The usual suspects, Dame Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, will be returning as judges.
Is There A Trailer?
Yes, the official trailer dropped in August 2023, giving us a first look at Alison Hammond in her new presenting role.
When & Where Will GBBO 2023 be filmed?
Filming for each Bake Off series typically takes place during the summer, a couple of months before episodes officially air. For the full low-down on where the baking challenges are filmed – aka, the location of the iconic GBBO tent – see our article here.
Who Are The Previous Winners Of The Show?
The most recent winner of GBBO is Syabira Yusoff. An amateur baker from London, Syabira said of the win: ‘Thank you so much. I can’t believe it. Honestly, it hasn’t sunk in yet, this is the biggest achievement in my life. All the hard work, all the trial and error, it has all been worth it. I am very very proud.’ See the full list of winners, since 2010, below:
- 2022: Syabira Yusoff
- 2021: Giuseppe Dell’Anno
- 2020: Peter Hawkins
- 2019: David Atherton
- 2018: Rahul Mandal
- 2017: Sophie Faldo
- 2016: Candice Brown
- 2015: Nadiya Hussain
- 2014: Nancy Birtwhistle
- 2013: Frances Quinn
- 2012: John Whaite
- 2011: Joanne Wheatley
- 2010: Edd Kimber
Featured image: Channel 4 / Love Productions / Mark Bourdillon
