The Great British Bake Off winners: where are they now?

It’s been a pretty bleak few months for news, but thank goodness we’ve had some pretty good TV to get us through – and as is traditional in the fall, it’s only set to get better. With the 2024 series of The Great British Baking Competition starting tonight, left us with a feeling of nostalgia To roast champions of old. Where are people like Edd Kimber, Frances Quinn, John Whaite and Giuseppe Dell’Anno now? Well, we’ve done the digging so you don’t have to, so let’s find out, shall we?

Edd Kimber – 2010

The first GBBO was very different to today’s show, with just ten contestants competing across just six weeks. There wasn’t even a weekly Star Baker. In the end, former debt collector Edd Kimber (far left) was crowned the winner.

Following his big win, Edd – who worked at world-renowned restaurant Le Manoir – has gone on to release seven cookbooks and also runs food blog The Boy Who Bakes. He is a regular contributor to food magazines including BBC Good Food, Delicious and Waitrose Kitchen, and has made regular appearances on TV including Sunday Brunch, Saturday Kitchen and Good Morning America.

Jo Wheatley – 2011

Mum-of-three Jo Wheatley triumphed over finalists Holly Bell and Mary-Anne Boermans in 2011. Jo, who is now a grandmother, has released two cookbooks, A Passion For Baking and Home Baking, written a column for Sainsburys magazine and launched her own home-based cookery school since winning. To roast.

She now lives in Portugal with her husband Rich. ‘Enjoying my retirement. Never in my wildest dreams could you have told me I would be where I am today. Life is fantastic,’ she said.

John Whiteite – 2012

Series three winner John Whaite went into the final as an underdog but stormed to victory and took home the trophy after impressing Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry with his Heaven and Hell chiffon cake.

John has been VERY busy since winning the show. Not only has he earned his pastry chef diploma from Le Corden Bleu, he has released four cookbooks, been a judge on ITV’s cooking competition Chopping Block and had a residency in Lorena from 2013 to 2016, but he went on to open his own cookery school, John Whaite’s Kitchen. He even returned to his pre-Bake Off career in law in 2018 when he began working as a solicitor. Oh, and let’s not forget the little detail of coming second in the 2021 series of Strictly Come Dancing as part of the series’ first male couple with Johannes Radebe.

Frances Quinn – 2013

Frances was crowned winner of Bake Off in 2013 after creating a show-stopping three-tier wedding cake in the final. She released the cookbook Quintessential Baking in 2015 and has made a number of TV and radio appearances on shows such as This morning.

Nancy Birtwhistle – 2014

Nancy beat out 2014 favourite Richard Burr after creating a miniature version of Paris’ Moulin Rouge. She now runs her own food blog, where she regularly shares recipes with fans and travels the country for her many food demonstrations.

Nancy, who appeared in This morningShe has written a Sizzle & Drizzle cookbook, and three green living books sharing her tips and tricks – Clean & Green: 101 Hints And Tips For A More Eco-Friendly Home, Green Living Made Easy: 101 Eco Tips, Hacks And Recipes To Save Time And Money, and The Green Gardening Handbook. Her fifth book, Nancy’s Green & Easy Kitchen, will be released in 2025.

Nadiya Hussain – 2015

The most famous and successful Bake Off contestant of all time, Nadiya won the hearts of the British public in 2015 with her incredible cakes. Since winning GBBO, her £3.7 million fortune has been boosted by her TV shows, including Nadiya’s cook eats once twice, Nadiya’s British Food Adventure and The Chronicles of Nadiyasales of her 12 cookbooks, children’s books, a series of novels, and memoirs.

She was specially chosen to make a cake for the late Queen’s 90th birthday in 2016. After winning awards, Nadiya’s greatest honour came when she was awarded an MBE in 2020.

Candice Brown – 2016

Candice was known for her lipstick choices as much as her cakes during her time on the show. Like many To roast winners before her, Candice has released two Comfort cookbooks: Delicious Bakes and Treats and Happy Cooking. As well as running her own pub in Bedfordshire, she regularly appears on programmes such as This morning and Loose Women. She also competed in Dancing on ice in 2018, but was eliminated first.

Sophie Faldo – 2017

Sophie was the first To roast winner to be crowned following the show’s big move from the BBC to Channel 4, but her victory was spoiled when new judge Prue Leith accidentally tweeted the news hours before the final aired. Oops!

Sophie, who admitted she struggled with life in the spotlight after winning the show, has since set up her own couture wedding cake business. A trained stuntwoman who appeared in action film Three Seconds, she returned to the famous tent in 2023 and emerged victorious after being crowned winner of The Great Christmas Bake Off.

Rahul Mandal – 2018

Nuclear research scientist Dr Rahul beat the odds (remember when the glass broke in his mix in the final?) to bake his way to victory and became a national treasure in the process. Rahul has returned to his job at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Department since winning Bake Off and is passionate about inspiring young people to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).

Rahul, who continues to bake and share his creations with fans on Instagram and writes for The Times, created a record-breaking cake in 2021, becoming the first person to successfully include 100 different ingredients in one creation.

David Atherton – 2019

David made history when he became the first To roast champion for never having won Star Baker in 2019. He has since started writing a weekly cooking column for The Guardian and released his first cookbook, aptly titled My First Cookbookfollowed by My First Christmas Cookbook. He also has a podcast, Sticky Bun Boys.

He also appeared in Good morning Great Britain, Blue Peter and Steph’s packed lunch. In 2022, he created a series of travelogues exploring the North York Moors as the “cake capital”.

Peter Sawkins – 2020

At just 19 years old, University of Edinburgh student Peter became the youngest ever winner The Great British Baking Competition in 2020. The To roast superfan said, ‘I wanted this so badly. When I was 12, I would watch Bake Off reruns over and over again, and it really got me into baking. I’m a Bake Off nerd, and I think 12-year-old Peter would be blown away, and he would be the most excited, giddy kid. I’m that excited, giddy kid now.’

Since being crowned the winner, Peter has graduated with a first class degree in accounting and finance from the University of Edinburgh and has been taking Instagram by storm. He recently had a stint in the pastry kitchen at the iconic Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, learning new skills and helping out during dinner service. He has also written a book (of course he has) entitled Peter Assa.

Giuseppe Dell’Anno – 2021

Giuseppe Dell’Anno took home the trophy in 2021 after beating finalists Chigs Parmar and Crystelle Pereira with his incredible Mad Hatter’s Tea Party pasta, featuring mango and passion fruit panna cottas, orange and fig heart-shaped muffins and caterpillar-shaped choux pastries filled with asparagus and peas. He said after his win: ‘The fact is that everything I’ve done to deserve this comes from his (my father’s) legacy, it’s the best thank you note I can send him.’

‘I don’t often or lightly say that I’m proud of what I do, but in this case I’m really proud of what I did. It’s unbelievable!’

Since his victory, Giuseppe has been cooking live on TV Steph’s packed lunchhas done voiceover work and written two cookbooks, Giuseppe’s Italian Cakes and Giuseppe’s Easy Cakes.

Syabira Yusoff – 2022

Dr Syabira, who has a PhD in genetics and worked as a cardiovascular researcher at King’s College London, flew the flag for Malaysia when she won the show. Following her win, she decided to take a break from her research career and focus on baking. “I was busy with interviews, commissioned recipes, collaborations and food festivals,” she said.

But she decided to return to her day job. “Cooking used to be an outlet for me when work was too stressful, so I want it to remain a hobby rather than a job.” She continues to cook in her spare time and shares her creations on Instagram.

Matty Edgell – 2023

Teacher Matty was crowned champion of the show’s 14th season in 2023. “I honestly never thought I would be good enough to be considered a contestant, let alone make it through certain weeks and into the final,” he said. Despite his triumph, he remains a PE and science teacher in Peterborough, while maintaining his love of baking, which he shares online.