The Great British Bake Off returns in just over a week's time, and the BBC have now revealed the 12 faces who will be competing in the brand new series.

Returning at 8pm on August 5 on BBC One, viewers will see the first episode take on cake week, with a signature challenge assigned to the baker's to make the perfect Madeira cake.

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Meanwhile in the technical challenge, they'll have to take on Mary Berry's frosted walnut cake, before being tasked with reinventing the black forest gateau in their final showstopper.

Without further ado, here are the 12 contestants taking part in this year's Bake Off.

The Women

Nadiya, 30, Leeds

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Baking for over a decade now, she was inspired after wondering why her father only served ice cream as a dessert at his restaurant. Coming from a family originally from Bangladesh, she was encouraged to bake by a school home economics teacher.

Ugne, 32, Essex

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Originally from Lithuania, Ugne's a bodybuilder who enjoys baking as a hobby, after learning her skills from her mother and grandmother, each of whom passed on their Eastern European baking knowledge.

Marie, 66, Paris

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Entered into the competition by her daughter, Marie moved to Paris in her 30s and was inspired to bake after seeing all the French patisseries first hand. Her children say that when they were growing up, Marie's skills were so poor in the kitchen she was unable to even boil an egg.

Sandy, 49, Bradford

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Sandy is a child welfare officer who says she bakes to show her family, friends and work colleagues that she cares for them. After work she runs a cookery club in which she teaches children from deprived backgrounds how to bake on a budget.

Flora, 19, Scotland

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

As the youngest baker this year, Flora comes from a big family of bakers and cannot remember a time before she was in the kitchen honing her skills. She's currently an assistant at a contemporary art gallery, and will soon begin her history of art degree.

Dorret, 53, Preston

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

A self-confessed foodie, Dorret is an accountant who regularly visits Michelin-starred restaurants with her husband in a bid to find inspiration and ideas for their next culinary experiments.

The Men

Ian, 41, Cambridgeshire

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

As the Dalai Lama's personal photographer when he's in the UK, Ian is a renowned travel photographer who has a passion for foraging and making his mark on the world, meaning he's never afraid to bake with unusual ingredients.

Alvin, 37, Berkshire

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Originally from the Philippines, Alvin is a nurse who seven years ago questioned why he was buying bread and cakes when he had his own oven. Now, he bakes at least four times a week.

Tamal, 29, Manchester

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Working in Manchester as a trainee anaesthetist, it was Tamal's older sister who taught him how to bake, even asking him to create her wedding cake. Since that time he has been regularly commissioned to cater for family and friends' weddings.

Mat, 37, London

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Beginning his baking three years ago between his shifts as a fire fighter in London, Mat says he's a "competent amateur" who's now mastered cakes, bread, pies, biscuits and pastries.

Stu, 35, Surrey

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Baking since he was a young boy, Stu is now a professional musician who's toured the world as lead singer of his band. Watching his parents as a child in the restaurant kitchen they owned, he's always been amazed by the magic of the oven and "how something liquid could go in and out would come this fluffed-up awesomeness."

Paul, 49, Wales

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

As a prison governor for eight years, Paul is a man who sees the show as "an opportunity to show that men like me, stereotyped by our jobs, do and can love baking and that it is a skill and talent to be proud of".

The Great British Bake Off returns for its sixth series on Wednesday, August 5 on BBC One.


by for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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