With the sixth Great British Bake Off winner set to be announced tonight, here’s what has happened to the show’s previous winners.
Series 1, 2010 – Edd Kimber
When Edd was crowned the Great British Bake Off’s first winner, the show was much more low profile, airing on BBC Two. But he made the most of his win, quitting his job as a debt collector in Yorkshire to go full-time as a baker. He started with a stint at Raymond Blanc’s Michelin-starred Le Manoir restaurant in Oxfordshire before moving to London.
Edd has gone on to author three cookbooks – The Boy Who Bakes (2011), Say It With Cake (2012) and Patisserie Made Simple (2014). He writes regular features for magazines including BBC Good Food, Delicious and Waitrose Kitchen, and runs a popular blog, theboywhobakes.co.uk.
The show’s first winner also held the title of “resident baker” on The Alan Titchmarsh Show, and in 2013 he had a Food Network Christmas special, John and Edd’s Christmas Bakes.
Series 2, 2011 – Joanne Wheatley
As the Bake Off started to grow in popularity, the housewife and mother-of-three became the second winner. Like Edd, Joanne has made plenty of TV appearances – such as a lesson on scone-making for The One Show, a cookie masterclass on The Alan Titchmarsh Show, and a guest slot on What’s Cooking?
Her books include A Passion For Baking, and Home Baking. She writes a regular cookery column for The Sun, and has also written for the Daily Mirror.
She has continued with her blog, Jo’s Blue Aga, and runs a cookery school from her home in Essex.
Series 3, 2012 – John Whaite
After winning the show, John quit his job in banking and has barely stopped since. Besides a number of guest appearances on various programmes including This Morning and Sunday Brunch, he holds the title of “resident baker” on ITV’s Lorraine.
The baker also earned his patisserie diploma at Le Cordon Bleu in London, founded a chocolate shop – The Hungry Dog Artisan Chocolates – and released two cookery books, John Whaite Bakes (2013) and John Whaite Bakes At Home (2014).
His cookery school, John Whaite’s Kitchen, is due to open this autumn in Lancashire, where he will offer lessons in cookery, chocolate and patisserie.
Series 4, 2013 – Frances Quinn
Children’s clothes designer Frances had a reputation for style and imagination. She left her job to go full-time as a baker, and has brought out a book, Quinntessential Baking, which focuses on quirky cakes and sweet treats.
She has also focused on bespoke commissions – including a gingerbread Shard for the London landmark’s first birthday, a shortbread piano for Jools Holland’s Hootenanny, a Matisse-inspired cheesecake for the Tate, and a giant chocolate fudge fancy for illustrator Quentin Blake.
Series 5, 2014 – Nancy Birtwhistle
Nancy, who won at the age of 60 – the oldest winner so far – has been writing about this year’s Bake Off for the Daily Telegraph.
She now judges cakes, teaches in schools, and is available as an after-dinner speaker. She is currently writing an encyclopaedia of baking, and also blogs weekly at nancybirtwhistle.com.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article