The Great British Bake Off is back with 12 brand new bakers ready to battle it out in the famous tent.
Series 17 sees Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding welcome a fresh batch of contestants, who will face judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson.
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The new bakers range from a 21-year-old law student and a 22-year-old political economy student to a retired garment technologist aged 67.
There is also a drag king, a paediatric doctor, an NHS hospital discharge lead and a hairdresser among this year's contestants.
Who are the Great British Bake Off 2026 contestants?
The Great British Bake Off 2026 cast features 12 bakers from across the UK, each bringing their own baking style and personal story to the competition.
Here is everything you need to know about the new contestants heading into the Bake Off tent.
Clara, 24, Hertfordshire
Clara is a 24-year-old marketing graduate from Hertfordshire who originally moved to the UK from Aveiro in Portugal aged 18.
A passionate Portuguese baker, Clara started making cakes two years ago as a creative outlet before turning her attention to recreating Portuguese classics for her British fiancé Kieran and his family.
She describes herself as a "fantasy girly" and loves creating colourful designs paired with fresh, fruity flavours.
Clara is also a huge animal lover, with a spaniel named Gigi and a pygmy hedgehog called Pecan.
Connie, 63, London
Connie, 63, is an NHS Hospital Discharge Lead from London who has been baking for more than 20 years.
Known as "the Cake Lady", Connie is particularly famous for her hearty carrot cakes, with rum fruit, lemon and lavender among her favourite flavours.
She has been married to musician and music teacher Myke for 23 years, and the couple run a music centre together.
Connie regularly tests her latest recipes on the students there.
Danni, 25, Dorset
Danni is a 25-year-old HGV Service Centre Administrator from Dorset with a passion for baking, technology and the great outdoors.
Their bakes can feature foraged ingredients including magnolia, chestnut and dandelion alongside flavours such as ube and red bean paste.
Danni also has a creative side away from the kitchen, with interests including anime, video games and animation.
They have designed websites for fun, created visual novel games using Ren'Py and even repaired a Commodore 64.
Gabe, 32, West Midlands
Gabe is a 32-year-old artist and drag king who describes themselves as the "daddy of Birmingham drag".
They first discovered baking after watching the very first series of Bake Off aged 13.
Gabe's baking style is "gorgeous but very homemade", with a preference for savoury, meat-filled bakes and an obsession with meringue.
Raised in Grimsby, they now live in the West Midlands with partners Ellis and Tyler and their two sausage dogs, Dill and Sage.
Gabe also performs as drag persona Blü Romantic, produces theatre shows and works as a costume designer.
Gary, 67, Nottinghamshire
Gary is a 67-year-old retired garment technologist from Nottinghamshire who discovered his passion for baking later in life.
He bought his first cookbook five years ago and has since developed a traditional yet creative baking style focused on presentation and bold flavours.
Citrus is among his favourite flavour choices.
Gary lives on a smallholding with his wife Donna, with sheep, horses, chickens, miniature pygmy goats and Shetland ponies among the animals around their home.
Having beaten prostate cancer himself, he also raises money and awareness for cancer charities through bake sales and coffee mornings.
Molly, 31, London
Molly is a 31-year-old Accessibility Coordinator from London who started baking more than 25 years ago after being inspired by her grandmother.
She enjoys traditional bakes and classic flavours, particularly hazelnut, fresh fruit and mint.
During a difficult period with her health in 2020, Molly turned to baking to stay motivated and connected with friends and family.
Away from the kitchen, she is a musical theatre fan and huge Formula 1 enthusiast.
Molly also works for a disability charity reviewing accessibility in transport and is currently 25% through a 350,000-stitch cross-stitch landscape of Rivendell.
Moyin, 22, Essex
Moyin is a 22-year-old political economy student from Essex who balances his studies with baking, athletics and a part-time job.
He started baking with his mum when he was five and had mastered the art of Macaronage by the age of 14.
His bakes combine precision with flavours inspired by his Nigerian heritage, including grains of paradise and groundnuts.
Moyin is also a competitive sprinter and was crowned U20 County Champion in the 100m.
He enjoys fashion, collecting vinyl and visiting comedy clubs, while also being a dedicated matcha latte fan.
Mo, 21, West Midlands
Mo is a 21-year-old law student from the West Midlands who hopes to become a solicitor.
He describes himself as "chaotic and random" and is determined to make his family proud in the Bake Off tent.
His love of baking began at the age of three, when he would pretend to cook with Play-Doh.
At nine, he discovered mug cakes and became hooked, eventually progressing from boxed vanilla cake mixes to precise, professional-looking bakes.
Mo often combines Asian flavours with traditional British classics and enjoys weightlifting and calisthenics when he is not studying or baking.
Nikki, 50, London
Nikki is a 50-year-old advertising post-producer from London who started baking with her mum when she was seven.
She has always viewed baking as a form of therapy and enjoys creating colourful bakes for family and friends.
Nikki has been with her "soul mate" Tom for 22 years and they have a 16-year-old daughter, Ava.
She is also a former podium dancer at Basingstoke's Ziggy's Night Club and still enjoys R&B clubs with her cousins.
Nikki recently completed a 100-mile walk to raise money for breast cancer.
Shannon, 29, Gloucestershire
Shannon is a 29-year-old Project Planner and Scheduler from Gloucestershire who dreams of bringing "a little forest magic" to the Bake Off tent.
Originally from Bristol, she now lives in the countryside with her fiancé Scott, two black Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Tyrone the tortoise.
Shannon loves gardening, cooking and using ingredients she has grown herself.
Her baking style is described as whimsical, quirky and rustic, while her organised nature from her day job helps her focus on getting her timings right.
She does have a chaotic side, however, having once ridden a horse through a drive-thru.
Tom, 25, West Yorkshire
Tom is a 25-year-old hairdresser from West Yorkshire who describes himself as a Northern Diva.
He started baking at his Nan's house when he was six, while his older brother was away at football matches.
Tom had mastered the perfect brandy snap before he was 10 and now works in a busy salon.
His colleagues are regular taste-testers, particularly when he brings in his famous salted caramel brownies.
Tom recently spent seven months travelling around Southeast Asia with his boyfriend Alex, with the pair now saving for a house together.
Yannis, 28, London
Yannis is a 28-year-old paediatric doctor from London who is determined to challenge the stigma around Bangladeshi men in the kitchen.
He works in a busy NICU and enjoys bringing his bakes into the ward to spread some joy.
Born in Vienna, Yannis moved to London aged 11 and his baking has been influenced by several food cultures.
His first baking memory is making Bhapa Pitha with his grandmother, while his school days introduced him to classic Austrian treats.
Yannis also credits Bake Off with helping him learn English, making the show particularly special to him.
Away from baking and medicine, he is a Bhangra dancer and says his wedding shimmy has become legendary.
When does Great British Bake Off 2026 start?
The new series of The Great British Bake Off sees 12 new bakers enter the tent for Series 17.
The contestants will be welcomed by hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding before facing judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson.
The new series follows the latest batch of bakers as they compete to impress the judges with their creations.
