Great British Bake Off reveals 2026 cast – meet the new bakers

The Great British Bake Off is back on screens Tuesday 22 September! Now in its 17th season, fans of the beloved series already know the drill. There will be cake calamity, solidarity and astonishing bakes to make armchair-enthusiasts drool, however there is an additional draw this season.

We are of course talking about new judge Nigella Lawson who is set to join Paul Hollywood on the judging panel amidst Prue Leith's departure in 2025. Lawson has some tall orders to fulfil as she follows in the esteemed footsteps of Dames Mary Berry and Leith, however despite rumours of a feud between Hollywood and Lawson, the master of bread quashed all the negative talk when he spoke warmly of Lawson's impact on the show.

"I was curious to see the reaction the first time Nigella gave judgement over the cake," Hollywood told Digital Spy and other journalists during a Q&A event.

"Mary [did] seven years, 10 years with Prue, we've gone Dame, Dame, Queen so I was curious to see how they reacted and it was fascinating to see. It was fantastic," he said while adding that she had a "magical" affect on the bakers.

Co-hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond will also return this season to round out the Bake-Off team, but what would the competition show be without its new crop of contestants. 12 bakers will step into the tent and battle through challenge after challenge to be crowned 2026's Great British Baker, but it won't be easy.

With the new season also comes tough new challenges including, as confirmed by Hollywood during the event, an exciting challenge in which the bakers will be joined by their loved ones in the tent.

"It's the first time we've ever done it and I thought that particular challenge really worked," said Hollywood. "The atmosphere changed in the tent," he added while Fielding said: "It was chaos.

"They spoke to each other in a way that you would only speak to your sister or your husband. They were having full-on fights… the electricity that day in the tents was thick, it was great."

If you're chomping at the bit to find out who will be put through the ringer in this season of Bake Off then the wait is over, let's meet the bakers who are hoping to be crowned winner!

Clara

Age: 24
Job: Marketing Graduate
From: Hertfordshire

Described as a "passionate Portuguese polyglot pocket rocket", Clara is a "bundle of energy" who believes that the "first bite of a bake is always with the eyes". Hailing from Aveido, she has a passion for creating colourful and "chaotically beautiful" designs.

Hoping to bring some Portuguese flair to proceedings, Clara describes her baking style as "messy, creative and mindful", and teased that she may have fallen off one of the stools while judging was going on.

Connie

Age: 63
Job: NHS Hospital Discharge Lead
From: London

Handily known as "the Cake Lady", NHS worker Connie doesn't remember a time when she wasn't baking. She is a fan of anything with a rum flavour, and described her baking style as "adventurous, fun and nostalgic".

"My secret superpower is baking with heart. I bring fun, determination and care into everything I do. I love creating bakes that make people smile, and even when things don't go to plan, I'm determined to keep going until I've done my very best," she adds.

Danni

Age: 25
Job: HGV Service Centre Administrator
From: Dorset

Danni describes themselves as "naturally curious and experimental", and this is reflected in their bakes. They often contain bold flavours with foraged finds, with inspiration being drawn from technology and video games.

"I never ever give up," they said. "Even if I fail and fail and fail and fail I just get back up and keep going and try again in a different way, because failing something just means you've learnt something new about what you're making!"

Gabe

Age: 32
Job: Artist & Drag King
From: West Midlands

Gabe was actually inspired to bake after watching the first season of Bake Off as a teenager, and has a preference for "gorgeous, homemade" savoury pastries. They are also well acquainted with host Alison, having met on an episode of Late Night Lycett.

"I have watched every season of Bake Off and walking into the tent was unreal," they noted. "It felt like I was walking into a national legacy and fever dream combined. Truly such an honour. A 'pinch me' moment."

Gary

Age: 67
Job: Retired Garment Technologist
From: Nottinghamshire

A late bloomer in the baking world, Gary describes his personal style as "methodical and precise". He focuses on impeccable presentation and bold flavours, and is also passionate about raising awareness for cancer following his own health battle.

He shared that it was a "dream" to take part in the series, and it was also noted by Noel and several other bakers that he shares a resemblance with Paul. He may look like the judge, but can he impress him with his food?

Mo

Age: 21
Job: Law Student
From: West Midlands

The youngest of this year's cast, Mo traces his love for baking all the way back to age of three, when he would pretend to cook with Play-Doh. He often incorporates Asian flavours into his bakes, which he said can be "chaotic and random".

He also confessed to having never watched the series before, sharing: "I never fully understood the hype and excitement of being in the tent, but I thought my bench was really cool and I had fun playing with the instant boiling tap."

Molly

Age: 31
Job: Accessibility Coordinator
From: London

Molly has been baking for over 25 years, and puts great care into her work. She loves classic flavours that are based on tradition, and shares that her love for baking was passed down by her grandmother.

She paid tribute to her co-stars, saying: "The bakers this year are such an incredible bunch of people. From the moment we first met, everyone was so excited to be on this journey together. Everyone was so warm, friendly and supportive."

Moyin

Age: 22
Job: Political Economy Student
From: Essex

Moyin started to bake at the age of 5 alongside his mother, with his food being inspired by his Nigerian heritage. They are described as "innovative, fun and precise", and are not afraid to try out new things.

Moyin also had the honour of being the first contestant to be judged this season, with the star noting: "I was very apprehensive and nervous, but after that I just started seeing them as my baking coaches."

Nikki

Age: 50
Job: Advertising Post-Producer
From: London

Nikki is described as a "colourful" character who uses baking as a form of therapy, with her appearance coming after several failed applications. With a new opportunity, she is hoping to dazzle the judges with her combination of colours and flavours.

"Even if something doesn't quite go to plan, I don't panic - I take a breath, find a solution and keep smiling. Baking is supposed to be fun, and I think that shines through in what I create," she says.

Shannon

Age: 29
Job: Project Planner and Scheduler
From: Gloucestershire

With a love for all things nature, Shannon is hoping to bring a "little forest magic" to the tent. She was taught to bake by her grandmother, and described her personal style as "whimsical, quirky and rustic".

Having been a back-up for the previous season, Shannon now has the chance to showcase her talent, and she hopes that she can bring the judges just as much warmth as what she gets from baking.

Tom

Age: 25
Job: Hairdresser
From: West Yorkshire

A self-proclaimed "Northern Diva" who has baked since he was six-years old, Tom's designs are "witty, pretty and, above all, delicious". He confessed to being "shook to the core" during the first judging, even if he looked calm on the outside.

"My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I was so nervous. The odd thing with the judging was that when I was presenting my bakes it never felt or maybe clicked that they were actually eating my bakes," he recalled.

Yannis

Age: 28
Job: Paediatric Doctor
From: London

Born in Vienna with family from Bangladesh, Yannis remarked that his experience of working in a hospital had helped him remain "strangely calm" when things didn't go to plan in the iconic tent.

He did, however, state that medical school didn't prepare him for the stress of being judged by Paul and Nigella. After years of judging from the comfort of his own sofa, how will Yannis fare now that he's in front of the camera?

The Great British Bake Off returns on Channel 4 on 22 September.

Visit our Streaming Guide now to see at a glance where you can view ALL your favourite shows and movies.

The new edition of Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Ariana Grande, is here! Buy Ariana Grande in newsagents or online.

Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media.  His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.