The Great British Bake Off (series 12)
The twelfth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 21 September 2021.[1] It is presented by Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas, and judged by returning judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The bakers were announced on 14 September 2021.[2]
The Great British Bake Off | |
---|---|
Series 12 | |
![]() British digital release | |
Starring | |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
No. of episodes | 10 |
Release | |
Original network | Channel 4 |
Original release | 21 September – 23 November 2021 |
Series chronology |
The series was won by Giuseppe Dell'Anno, with Chigs Parmar and Crystelle Pereira finishing as the runners-up. Dell'Anno is the first Italian winner of the programme.[3][4][5]
Bakers
Baker[2] | Age | Occupation | Hometown | Links |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amanda Georgiou | 56 | Metropolitan Police detective | London | [6] |
Chigs Parmar | 40 | Sales manager | Leicester | [7] |
Crystelle Pereira | 26 | Client relationship manager | London | [8] |
Freya Cox | 19 | Student | Scarborough, North Yorkshire | [9] |
George Aristidou | 34 | Shared lives coordinator | London | [10] |
Giuseppe Dell'Anno | 45 | Chief engineer | Bristol | [11] |
Jairzinho Parris | 51 | Head of Finance | London | [12][13] |
Jürgen Krauss | 56 | Physicist | Brighton, East Sussex | [14] |
Lizzie Acker | 28 | Car production operative | Liverpool | [15][16] |
Maggie Richardson | 70 | Retired nurse and midwife | Poole, Dorset | [17][18] |
Rochica Copeland | 27 | Junior HR business partner | Birmingham | [19] |
Tom Fletcher | 28 | Software developer | Maidstone, Kent | [20] |
Results summary
Baker | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giuseppe | SB | SB | WINNER | |||||||||||||||
Chigs | SB | SB | Runner-up | |||||||||||||||
Crystelle | SB | SB | Runner-up | |||||||||||||||
Jürgen | SB | SB | OUT | |||||||||||||||
Lizzie | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
George | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Amanda | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Freya | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Maggie | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Rochica | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Jairzeno | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Tom | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Colour key:
Episodes
Episode 1: Cake
For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked with making 12 decorative mini rolls, in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Prue, required the bakers to make a malt loaf served with homemade butter, in two hours. In the showstopper challenge, the bakers were given four hours to create an anti-gravity illusion cake, representing a precious memory.
Baker | Signature (Mini Swiss Roll) |
Technical (Malt Loaf) |
Showstopper (Anti-Gravity Illusion Cake) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amanda | 'Cherry Soldier' Mini Rolls | 12th | Elderflower & Lemon Surf Explosion | Safe |
Chigs | Strawberries & Cream Mini Rolls | 11th | 'Where it All Began' | Safe |
Crystelle | 'Chai and Chai Again' Mini Rolls | 8th | 'Bouq-cake of Flowers' | Safe |
Freya | Vegan Lemon & Raspberry Mini Rolls | 2nd | 'Flower Potty' | Safe |
George | Chocolate & Hazelnut Mini Rolls | 3rd | Greek Table | Safe |
Giuseppe | Easter Mini Rolls | 10th | 'Jack and the Beanstalk' | Safe |
Jairzeno | Lime & Passionfruit Mini Rolls | 9th | 'Kick the Can' Cake | Safe |
Jürgen | 'Schwarzwald' Mini Rolls | 6th | 'Night Time Reading' | Star Baker |
Lizzie | 'Zoo' Mini Rolls | 4th | 'Nana's Peaches & Cream' | Safe |
Maggie | 'Knit & Natter' Mini Rolls | 1st | Ice-cream Cornet | Safe |
Rochica | 'Colin' Rolls | 7th | Apple Cake | Safe |
Tom | Black Forest Mini Rolls | 5th | Classically Spectacular Showstopper | Eliminated |
Episode 2: Biscuits
For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked with making 24 identical Brandy snaps, in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, required the bakers to make 12 sandwiched jammy biscuits, consisting of two baked biscuits, jam, and buttercream, in one hour and 45 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers needed to create a 3D biscuit replica of a favorite childhood toy. The replica needed to have an interactive element.
Baker | Signature (24 Brandy Snaps) |
Technical (Sandwiched Jammy Biscuit) |
Showstopper (3-D Childhood Toy) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amanda | 'Open Sesame' Brandy Snaps | 4th | Carousel Rocking Horse | Safe |
Chigs | 'Espresso Martini' Brandy Snaps | 7th | Snooker Table | Safe |
Crystelle | 'Apple of My P-eye' Brandy Snaps | 10th | Vanity Playset | Safe |
Freya | 'Brandy Snapuccinos' | 3rd | Winnie | Safe |
George | Cypriot Brandy Snaps | 8th | Paul and Prue Airlines | Safe |
Giuseppe | Gianduja Snaps | 2nd | Reversi Board Game | Safe |
Jairzeno | Chocolate, Passion Fruit & Pineapple Brandy Snaps | 9th | Tall Ship | Eliminated |
Jürgen | 'A Cup of Chai' Brandy Snaps | 1st | Grandpa's Windmill | Star Baker |
Lizzie | Fast-Food Apple Pie Brandy Snaps | 6th | Paint a Truck | Safe |
Maggie | Blackcurrant Brandy Snaps | 5th | Beach Playset | Safe |
Rochica | Coffee Brandy Snaps | 11th | Gingerbread Pinball Game | Safe |
Episode 3: Bread
The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making a focaccia in 2 hours 45 minutes. The technical challenge, set by Paul, tasked the bakers with making 15 olive and cheese ciabatta breadsticks, served with a tzatziki dip, in two hours. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were asked to create a 3D themed display using milk bread, in four hours and 30 minutes.
Baker | Signature (Focaccia) |
Technical (15 Cheese and Onion Ciabatta Breadsticks) |
Showstopper (Themed Milk Bread Display) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amanda | 'Chasing Grainbows' Focaccia | 3rd | 'I Just FISH We Had More' | Safe |
Chigs | Spanish Cheesy Meaty Focaccia | 6th | Honey Milk Bread Picnic Basket | Safe |
Crystelle | Feta & Grape Focaccia with Fennel & Walnut | 9th | 'Bready' for Sunday Roast | Safe |
Freya | Mexican Fajita Focaccia | 4th | 'Under the Sea' Milk Bread Display | Safe |
George | Greek Inspired Focaccia | 7th | 'The Very Hungry Koala' | Safe |
Giuseppe | 'Breakfast in Gaeta' Focaccia | 1st | 'Your Five-a-Day' | Star Baker |
Jürgen | 'Kipper-caccia' Focaccia | 5th | 'The Baby' | Safe |
Lizzie | 'Final Furlong' Focaccia | 2nd | Pig Banquet | Safe |
Maggie | Classic Focaccia | 8th | 'Things You'd Find in a Rock Pool' | Safe |
Rochica | Roast Garlic Focaccia with Tomato, Feta & Pesto | 10th | Birdcage | Eliminated |
Episode 4: Desserts
The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making a beautifully decorated Pavlova, in two hours 45 minutes. For the technical challenge, set by Prue, asked the bakers to make 4 individual sticky toffee puddings, served with sticky toffee sauce, two Tuile triangles, and a creme anglaise. The bakers had 90 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were given the enormous task of making a celebratory joconde imprime dessert, composed of a highly decorated joconde sponge wrapped around at least two elements, in four hours and 30 minutes.
Baker | Signature (Pavlova) |
Technical (4 Sticky Toffee Pudding) |
Showstopper (Joconde Imprime Dessert) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amanda | 'Chocolate Pav-Love' | 8th | 'Adam's Temptation' Imprime Dessert | Safe |
Chigs | Tropical Pavlova | 3rd | Black Forest Imprime Dessert | Star Baker |
Crystelle | 'Kiwi Lime Pie' Pam-lova | 5th | 'Una Piña Colada, Por Favor' | Safe |
Freya | Peach Melba Vegan Pavlova | 6th | Chocolate & Orange Imprime Dessert | Safe |
George | Lemon Curd & Biscuit Cream Pavlova | 7th | Peanut Butter & Chocolate Imprime Dessert | Safe |
Giuseppe | 'Every Day at the Beach' Pavlova | 4th | Red Fruit & Pistachio Imprime Dessert | Safe |
Jürgen | 'Passover Pavlova' | 1st | 'Passtyme with Good Companye' | Safe |
Lizzie | Easter Pavlova | 2nd | Liverpool Skyline Imprime Dessert | Safe |
Maggie | Traditional Pavlova | 9th | Strawberry Imprime Dessert | Eliminated |
Episode 5: German
The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making two types of 12 German biscuits, which needed to be dipped, coated, or decorated, in two hours 15 minutes. For the technical challenge, Prue asked the bakers to make a Prinzregententorte, consisting of 8 thin layers of genoises sponge sandwiched with chocolate cream, coated with a shiny chocolate ganache, decorated with rosettes and tempered chocolate crowns, in two hours 45 minutes. The showstopper gave the bakers four and a half hours to produce a yeast-leavened cake. The cakes must be at least two-tiered and inspired by the yeasted cakes popular in Germany.
Baker | Signature (24 German Biscuits) |
Technical (Prinzregententorte) |
Showstopper (Yeast Leavened Cake) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amanda | Spritzgebäck & Glühweinplätzchen | 8th | Rum. Plum & Raisin Cake | Safe |
Chigs | Marzipan Hausfreunde & Mandelhörnchen | 2nd | Lemon & Mixed Peel Cake | Safe |
Crystelle | Chocolate Engelsaugen & Pistachio Heidesand | 7th | Bavarian Brioche | Safe |
Freya | Lebkuchen & Zimtsterne | 5th | Upside-Down Cake | Eliminated |
George | Cherry Marzipan Biscuits & Anisseed Spingerle | 6th | Chocolate & Tahini Anniversary Cake | Safe |
Giuseppe | Bethmännchen and Italian Linzer Augen | 1st | Amarena Cherry Cake | Star Baker |
Jürgen | Tee-Sterne & Milchkaffee-Gipfele | 4th | Beer Soaked Cake | Safe |
Lizzie | Mandelhörnchen & Spitzbuben | 3rd | Bavarian Fairy Tale | Safe |
Episode 6: Pastry
For the signature, the bakers were tasked with making two batches of glazed or iced chouxnuts: 6 filled, 6 not filled. For the technical challenge, Paul required the bakers to make a large baklava. They were asked to layer Filo pastry with a pistachio and walnut filling, cut into a star design, in two hours and 45 minutes. For the showstopper, the bakers were given the intricate task of making a Terrine pie, in four and a half hours. The pies needed to have an ornated pastry decoration on the outside and a neat pattern or design when cut open.
Baker | Signature (Chouxnuts) |
Technical (Large Baklava) |
Showstopper (Terrine pie) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amanda | Sweet & Savoury Chouxnuts | 5th | 'Fancy Terrine Pie' | Eliminated |
Chigs | 'Oo La La Chouxnuts' | 3rd | 'Leicester Pork Pie' | Safe |
Crystelle | Mango Maracujá & Miso Caramel Chouxnuts | 2nd | 'Lily Nana's Pickle Cottage' | Star Baker |
George | Classic Chouxnuts | 6th | 'Christmas Dinner' | Safe |
Giuseppe | Bellissima Chouxnuts | 4th | 'Laura's Terrine Pie' | Safe |
Jürgen | 'Exotic Flavour & 70's Colour' | 1st | 'Lunch in Freiburg' | Safe |
Lizzie | Caramel & Floral Chouxnuts | 7th | 'Neptune Pie' | Safe |
Episode 7: Caramel
For the first signature challenge, the bakers were required to produce a sharing-sized decorative caramel tart in 2 hours and 30 minutes. The technical challenge was set by Paul where the bakers were tasked to make 10 caramel biscuit bars in 1 hour and 30 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to make a caramel-flavored dessert with a sugar-work dome or sphere in 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Baker | Signature (Caramel Tart) |
Technical (10 Caramel Biscuit Bars) |
Showstopper (Domed or Sphered Caramel Dessert) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chigs | Chocolate, Coconut & Ginger Caramel Tart | 3rd | 'Caramel Mistake' | Safe |
Crystelle | Apple, Pecan & Miso Caramel Tart | 4th | 'Grandad Greg's Cactus Garden' | Safe |
George | Caramel Custard & Banana Tart | 6th | Salted Caramel Almond & Hazelnut Dacquoise | Eliminated |
Giuseppe | Apricot & Hazelnut Caramel Tart | 1st | Salted Caramel & Praline Dessert | Safe |
Jürgen | Triple Nut Caramel Delight | 2nd | 'Caramel Contrasts' | Star Baker |
Lizzie | 'My Tart Will Go On' | 5th | 'Roses Really Smell Like Caramel' | Safe |
Episode 8: Free-from
For the signature bake, the bakers were given the challenge of baking 8 dairy-free ice cream sandwiches. They were given 3 hours for the bake. For the technical challenge was to make eight identical vegan sausage rolls accompanied by a sticky red onion chutney, in two hours. In the showstopper, the bakers needed to make a Gluten-free Celebration Cake with at least two tiers. They were given four and a half hours for the bake.
Baker | Signature (8 Dairy-free Iced Cream Sandwiches) |
Technical (8 Vegan Sausage Rolls) |
Showstopper (Gluten-free Celebration Cake) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chigs | Mum's Tropical Delight | 1st | Gluten-free Red Velvet Cake | Star Baker |
Crystelle | Tahini & Miso Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches | 5th | 'My Nana's Cascading Dress' Gluten-free Cake | Safe |
Giuseppe | Ginger & Orange Ice Cream Sandwich | 2nd | Gluten-free Black Forest Cake | Safe |
Jürgen | 'Meet My Favourites' | 4th | Ultimate Gluten-free Birthday Cake | Safe |
Lizzie | Best Thing About Walks | 3rd | Gluten-free ‘Extraordinary' Cake | Eliminated |
Episode 9: Pâtisserie (Semi-final)
In the semifinal signature challenge, the bakers were tasked to make 8 pâtisserie-style layered slices in 3 hours. For the technical bake, set by Prue, the bakers are tasked in making a Sablé Breton Tart, consisting of a sablé breton pastry base, topped with raspberry confiture, piped with pistachio crème mousseline, filled with fresh berries and topped with glided meringue kisses and chocolate curls, all in 2 hours and 45 minutes. A themed banquet display consisting of a crafted edible centrepiece surrounded by least 12 individual entremets desserts was set as the showstopper, the bakers are given 5 hours.
Baker | Signature (8 Pâtisserie-style Layered Slices) |
Technical (Sablé Breton Tart) |
Showstopper (Themed Banquet Display) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chigs | Raspberry & Chocolate Slices | 4th | 'The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree' | Safe |
Crystelle | Yuzu, Coconut & Black Sesame Slices | 3rd | 'Tropical Wedding' Entremets | Star Baker |
Giuseppe | Tiramisu Slices | 2nd | 'Leaning Tower of Pisa' | Safe |
Jürgen | Murder at the Opera | 1st | 'Torii Gate in the Sea' | Eliminated |
Jurgen's elimination received public backlash following the episode's airing with OFCOM receiving 115 complaints.
Episode 10: Final
The finalists were set the task of making a carrot cake in 2 hours and 15 minutes for the signature challenge. For the final technical challenge, set by Paul, the bakers were given 2 hours and 30 minutes to create 12 Belgian buns filled with sultanas and lemon curd, with only 2 instructions given. For the ultimate showstopper challenge, the bakers were tasked to make a Mad Hatter tea party display with sweet and savory afternoon tea treats, showcasing at least 4 different baking disciplines in 4 1/2 hours. The judges expect to see the madness feel of Alice in Wonderland in the bakes.
Baker | Signature (Carrot Cake) |
Technical (12 Belgian Buns) |
Showstopper (Mad Hatter Tea Party Display) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chigs | 'Take Two' | 2nd | Party Treats | Runner-up |
Crystelle | Pistachio, Cardamom & Orange Carrot Cake | 1st | Crazy Tea Party | Runner-up |
Giuseppe | 'Torta Camilla' | 3rd | 'What Is the Hatter with Me' | Winner |
Specials
Two specials were commissioned for the festive season:
The Great Christmas Bake Off
The Great Christmas Bake Off featured It's a Sin's Olly Alexander, Nathaniel Curtis, Lydia West and Shaun Dooley.
The signature challenge required the bakers to make a Christmas Dinner's leftovers pie, in 2 hours, it can be made with any type of pastry, but the fillings must be made with leftovers from the baker's favorite Christmas Dinner. Prue's technical challenge tasked the bakers with making a chocolate Yule Log, in 1 hours and 15 minutes. The bakers were given 3 hours to make a Christmas Tree out of biscuit or meringue for the showstopper challenge.
Baker | Signature (Christmas Dinner's leftovers pie) |
Technical (Chocolate Yule Log) |
Showstopper (Biscuit/Meringue Christmas Tree) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lydia | Tom Yum Turkey Christmas Pie | 4th | Lemon Sablé Biscuit Christmas Tree | Runner-up |
Nathaniel | Turkey & Pancetta Christmas Leftovers Pie | 1st | Orange & Cinnamon Christmas Tree | Winner |
Olly | Curried Vegetable Pie | 3rd | Meringue Christmas Tree | Runner-up |
Shaun | Turkey & Ham Leftover Pie | 2nd | Pistachio Meringue Christmas Tree | Runner-up |
The Great New Year Bake Off
The Great New Year Bake Off features Jon Jenkins and Kim-Joy Hewlett from Series 9, along with Rowan Williams and Hermine Dossou from Series 11.
For the signature challenge, the bakers were asked to create 12 buns, suitable for a New Year's day Breakfast, the buns can be any flavor or shape, but must be yeasted and feature a topping of the baker's choice, 3 hours are given. Paul's technical challenge required the bakers to make a New Years Eve cake inspired by the traditional Greek Vasilopita, consisting of a perfectly baked lemon mahleb and mastika sponge and decorated with water icing, lemon curd and crystallized citrus peel in 1 hour and 30 minutes. A shadow box winter scene with a frame, to all be created with at least 3 different biscuits in 4 hours is the showstopper.
Baker | Signature (12 buns for a New Years Breakfast) |
Technical (Vasilopita) |
Showstopper (Shadow Box Winter Scene) |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hermine | 'Apricot Custard Crumble Buns' | 3rd | 'Festive Outdoors' Shadow Box | Runner-up |
Jon | 'Bacon & Eggs' Pecan & Maple Buns | 4th | 'Our Dream Wedding Scene' Shadow Box | Runner-up |
Kim-Joy | Sticky Pecan Breakfast Buns | 1st | Cosy Winter Scene Shadow Box | Winner |
Rowan | Fried Egg Breakfast Buns | 2nd | Winter Dream Shadow box | Runner-up |
Ratings
Bake Off launched with 5.7 million viewers and a 30.8% share – its lowest overnight rating since its move to Channel 4 in 2017 – down 1.3 million on 2020.[21] However, it was the show's biggest ever launch episode on Channel 4 in terms of younger viewers, securing 61.9% of all young viewers watching TV at the time of broadcast.[22]
Episode no. |
Airdate | 7-day viewers (millions) |
28-day viewers (millions) |
Channel 4 weekly ranking |
Weekly ranking all channels[23] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 September 2021 | 9.57 | 10.18 | 1 | 3 |
2 | 28 September 2021 | 8.98 | 9.64 | 1 | 2 |
3 | 5 October 2021 | 8.69 | 9.39 | 1 | 2 |
4 | 12 October 2021 | 8.75 | 9.13 | 1 | 2 |
5 | 19 October 2021 | 8.71 | 9.27 | 1 | 3 |
6 | 26 October 2021 | 9.15 | 9.57 | 1 | 2 |
7 | 2 November 2021 | 9.05 | 9.50 | 1 | 2 |
8 | 9 November 2021 | 9.05 | 9.49 | 1 | 3 |
9 | 16 November 2021 | 9.39 | 9.61 | 1 | 3 |
10 | 23 November 2021 | 9.61 | 9.73 | 1 | 3 |
References
- "Great British Baking Show 2021 contestants revealed". BBC. 14 September 2021.
- "Meet the contestants for the 12th series of The Great British Bake Off". The Independent. 13 September 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- "The Great British Bake Off 2021: final – as it happened". Guardian. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- "The Great British Bake Off crowns its 2021 winner". BBC. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- Bennett, Paige. "First vegan baker on the 'Great British Baking Show' shares what it was really like on the series". Insider. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- "Amanda Geo". Instagram.
- "Chigs Parmar". Instagram.
- "Crystelle Pereira". Instagram.
- "Freya Cox". Instagram. 29 November 2021.
- "George Aristidou". Instagram.
- Baker, Hannah (20 September 2021). "The Great British Bake Off 2021: National Composite Centre's chief engineer Giuseppe Dell'Anno to compete". Business Live.
- "baked_by_jairzinho". Instagram.
- Shufflebotham, Bethan (26 September 2021). "Great British Bake Off: The dog-loving contestants with 'star bakers' back home". Wales Online.
- "Juergen Thebread". Instagram.
- "Liverpool Great British Bake-Off contestant Lizzie reveals she was in a panic meeting other bakers". Liverpool Echo. 20 September 2021.
- "Lizzie Acker". Instagram.
- Baddeley, Nicole (21 September 2021). "Watch Maggie from Poole on The Great British Bake Off tonight". Daily Echo.
- "Maggie". Instagram.
- "Rochica". Instagram.
- Castle, Liane (23 September 2021). "The Great British Bake Off contestant Tom Fletcher from Maidstone reacts to his time on the Channel 4 show after becoming first to leave". Kent Online.
- Warner, Sam (22 September 2021). "Great British Bake Off suffers lowest launch show ratings since Channel 4 move". Digital Spy.
- "Delicious #GBBO return last night is highest rating @Channel4 commission so far this year". Channel 4 Press. 22 September 2021.
- "Four-screen dashboard". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 17 September 2019.