The Great British Bake Off is back and S16 is the gayest one yet, with four out LGBTQ+ bakers, including a drag king!
Aaron
Age: 38
Location: London
Job: senior systems architect
https://www.instagram.com/buymeanicecream
Aaron and his boyfriend Anthony moved from Manchester to London two years ago. He is a passionate baker who fuses French patisserie with Caribbean flair and is always experimenting with his bakes. He is currently embracing Asian flavours like miso and yuzu in his mono-portion bakes. Known as the “King of Hobbies”, Aaron can be found cycling around the city, learning French, working out at the gym, or studying for a Master’s.
Hassan
Age: 30
Location: South Yorkshire
Job: analytical research & development scientist
https://www.instagram.com/madeby.hassan
As a scientist, Hassan takes an analytical approach to baking, researching processes thoroughly before getting started on a new recipe. Inspired by his Pakistani heritage, Hassan is especially fond of praline and nut-based flavours that echo traditional Asian sweets. When he isn’t baking, Hassan is a dedicated gamer, gym-goer and meets regularly with his friends for a quiz.
Iain
Age: 29
Location: Belfast
Job: Software engineer
https://www.instagram.com/thug.loaf
Originally from Coleraine, Iain lives in Belfast with his girlfriend Dervla and their cat, Viktor. A former amateur powerlifter Iain now lifts dough instead of weights. The self-proclaimed “Yeastie Boy” mixes his love of live music with sourdough, immortalising album cover art on the crusts of his loaves. He blends classic flavours with a creative twist, often using fermented fruits and vegetables to enhance the depth and complexity of his flavours. If an ingredient can be pickled, aged, or cultured, he’s eager to give it a try! In the tent, Iain is on a mission to rewrite the Bake Off legacy of ‘Iain from Belfast’ once and for all.
Jasmine
Age: 23
Location: London
Job: Medical student
https://www.instagram.com/jasmine.mitchell
Born and raised in Edinburgh, Jasmine now lives with her cousins in London while she completes her medical degree. She learnt the basics of bread and cakes through her Mum and aunts, and has fond memories of batch baking for big family get togethers during holidays in the Scottish Highlands. Baking has become her creative outlet, and she likes nothing better than using fresh, seasonal ingredients to create classic flavour combinations.
Jessika
Age: 32
Location: London
Job: Service designer
https://www.instagram.com/jesssssikka
Raised in Cornwall, Jessika has fond memories of eating corner-shop cakes with her sister after dance classes, which solidified her sweet tooth. She’s a fan of mixing bold flavours together, such as salted mango caramel with cardamom, and Jerusalem artichoke caramel with a dark chocolate mousse. She manages to balance baking with a host of other hobbies, including gymnastics, roller-skating, cycling, and being a drag king named Oliver Clothezoff.
Leighton
Age: 59
Location: Surrey
Job: Software delivery manager
https://www.instagram.com/leightonthebaker
Welshman Leighton is originally from Swansea, but now lives in Surrey with his Californian husband Eric and the couple’s Irish Terrier, Cilla. Growing up, the multi-talented organ player was told that “boys don’t bake” but obviously, he ignored that advice. Leighton taps into his Welsh roots for his bakes, but with a British and American edge, creating intriguing concoctions like Welsh cakes with peanut butter and Victoria Sponge with key lime pie filling.
Lesley
Age: 59
Location: Kent
Job: Hairdresser
https://www.instagram.com/lesley_anne_bakes
Lesley’s been a hairdresser for 45 years and the clients that come to her salon always expect a lovely slice of cake along with their trim. Despite a love for classic old-school bakes, it’s never the ‘same old’ with her modern and fun designs. She’s been baking since the age of 10, inspired by her Nanny Mable and Auntie Joan, who taught her the basics and sparked a lifelong passion. For her, baking is all about comfort, creativity and making people smile, especially when it’s served with a cuppa and a chat.
Nadia
Age: 41
Location: Liverpool
Job: Hairdresser
https://www.instagram.com/dolcevita.nadia
Blending Indian and Italian flavours with Scouse spirit, Nadia is a chatterbox bringing warmth and laughter into every room. Inspired by her Italian chef dad, she brings rustic charm and soulful flavours to everything she bakes. A hairdresser, baker, and former personal trainer, Nadia channels her endless energy into novelty cakes, creative twists on classics, and kitchen dance breaks. For her, baking is all about heart, heritage, and keeping joy at the centre of it all.
Nataliia
Age: 32
Location: East Yorkshire
Job: Office assistant
https://www.instagram.com/nataliia_richardson
Born in Ukraine, Nataliia was taught to bake by her grandmother, following traditional recipes that have been handed down through the generations. She loves to use these recipes to this day and also infuses classic British bakes with flavours inspired by her roots such as honey, poppy seeds and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Nataliia moved to the UK with her husband Harry four years ago, just before the war broke out. Her family followed shortly after as refugees and they now all live in East Yorkshire with their 3 year old daughter, Francesca.
Pui Man
Age: 51
Location: Essex
Job: Bridal designer
https://www.instagram.com/puimanli
Born in Hong Kong and now living in Essex with her husband and two children, Pui Man rediscovered baking during lockdown and hasn’t looked back. Her bakes are as beautiful as they are bold, and she practices endlessly to make sure her creations are as close to perfection as possible. Pui Man brings attention to detail when it comes to designing a wedding dress, and especially when it comes to her bakes. When she tears herself away from baking, Pui Man can be found knitting with a pint. She volunteers three evenings a week, collecting surplus food from supermarkets and distributing it within her community.
Toby
Age: 29
Location: Warwickshire
Job: Business development executive
https://www.instagram.com/tjstable
Toby lives with his girlfriend Syd and their rescue dog Bex. He has a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and his training partner loves refuelling after a gruelling session on the mats with his strawberry cheesecake. Toby takes a stripped back and healthy approach to baking and leans towards classic recipes and flavours as he believes they are classics for a reason. But it’s bread that is his real passion, baking something different every day.
Tom
Age: 31
Location: London
Job: Creative entrepreneur
https://www.instagram.com/tommllette
Tom lives in London with his boyfriend of three years. He learnt how to bake scones and flapjacks alongside his mum and Danish granny. After stepping back from the advertising agency he set up, he recently reconnected with baking and brings a creative flair to his beautifully presented bakes. Tom enjoys foraging for mushrooms, cooking roasts with his dad, fishing with his brother, and playing sports with two queer sports team. It’s a world away from where he was as a teen, when he feared that his secret love of baking would out him as gay.
16×1: Cake Week
Twelve new bakers must produce a Swiss roll with an inlay design, work out how to make fondant fancies in the technical, and serve up a stunning landscape cake in the showstopper round.
signature challenge: Swiss roll with two fillings and inlay design on sponge
who made what: [Spoiler (click to open)]
Aaron – beehive with lemon curd cream, blueberry elderflower jam
Hassan – blue rose design with chocolate sponge, caramel, milk chocolate coffee ganache
Iain – Queen’s University in Belfast design with chiffon sponge, cherry jam, coconut digestives, marshmallow cream, Northern Irish Fifteens (digestives, cherries, marshmallows, condensed milk)
Jasmine – lemon design with lemon sponge, lemon curd, lemon mascarpone cream, freeze dired raspberries
Jessika – floral design with coconut sponge, grapefruit curd, white chocolate black pepper ganache
Leighton – Amalfi coast lemon grove design with lemon curd, chantilly cream
Lesley – daisy design with lemon curd, blueberry jam
Nadia – cherry design with almond sponge, cherry liqueur jam, almond buttercream
Nataliia – Ukrainian flower design with mango passionfruit jam, cream cheese, chocolate petals
Pui Man – floral design with lemon curd, matcha cream, strawberries
Toby – rhubarb design with elderflower crème diplomat, elderflower chantilly, rhubarb jam
Tom – tartan design with blueberry compote, mascarpone cream
Iain’s swiss roll:
Hassan’s swiss roll:
technical challenge: 9 fondant fancies
rankings: [Spoiler (click to open)]
1 – Toby
2 – Jessika
3 – Nataliia
4 – Aaron
5 – Lesley
6 – Leighton
7 – Nadia
8 – Iain
9 – Jasmine
10 – Hassan
11 – Pui Man
12 – Tom
showstopper challenge: landscape cake
who made what: [Spoiler (click to open)]
Aaron – Parc Ciutadella in Barcelona with toasted coconut sponge, coconut swiss meringue buttercream, miso caramel, chocolate stonework, jelly lake
Hassan – Japanese bamboo forest with pumpkin spice sponge, pecan praline swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate trees
Iain – Downhill Beach with chocolate stout cake, blackbery jam, cream cheese icing
Jasmine – Scottish Highlands with blackberry pistachio cake, cardamom cake, pistachio blackberry mousse
Jessika – Lake Bunyonyi with spiced apple sponge, sticky toffee sauce, vanilla mascarpone icing, jelly lake
Leighton – Swansea (the Mumbles lighthouse, Oystermouth Castle, the Brecon Beacons) with Victoria sandwich cake, buttercream, raspberry jam
Lesley – Welsh tree stump & Bob Ross landscape with kirsch soaked chocolate sponge, cherry jam, black forest buttercream
Nadia – Mauritius beach with coconut liqueur soaked coconut lime sponge, lime curd, toasted coconut buttercream, jelly sea
Nataliia – Ukrainian landscape with chocolate rum sponge, cream cheese whipped cream, cherry jam, mirror glaze river
Pui Man – Hong Kong Lion Rock with coffee walnut sponge, coffee liqueur buttercream, fondant icing
Toby – Jacob’s Ladder in Sidmouth with white chocolate sponge, brown butter sponge, white chocolate buttercream, praline, strawberry jam
Tom – Icelandic tundra with chocolate chiffon sponge, dark chocolate & orange whipped ganache, hazelnut white chocolate ganache
Iain’s showstopper
Nataliia’s showstopper
Lesley’s showstopper
star baker: [Spoiler (click to open)] Nataliia
eliminated: [Spoiler (click to open)] Hassan
Make your predictions now! Who will win S16?
