Meet the Bakers of ‘The Great British Baking Show’ Season 4
Twelve new bakers are vying for the title in Season 4 of PBS’ The Great British Baking Show. Click forward in the gallery to meet them!
Originally from Northern Ireland, Andrew now lives with three friends in Derby, where he works as an aerospace engineer for Rolls-Royce. He was taught to bake by his mum and gran, and he has their safeguarded recipes in his arsenal.
Benjamina is a teaching assistant who recently graduated with a 1st in Economics and lives in South London. She started baking at age 14 just for fun, and now it’s a passion. She likes to combine classic, simple flavors with a fresh, modern style.
Born in North London, Candice grew up in the pubs her parents ran. She was taught to bake by her beloved nan and strives to emulate her bakes, aiming to be “even half the lady she was.”
Jane lives in Beckenham with her husband, Ray, where she designs gardens for a living. When she is not in her wellies knee-deep in mud, Jane is donning her leopard print apron in the kitchen, up at 5am most mornings getting her bread in the oven.
A mother of two, Kate is a farmer’s daughter from Norfolk. She is a qualified nurse and works in an acute respiratory ward. She has had a passion for baking since she was a child and loves using seasonal fruits and produce that she gathers with her children from her parents’ farm.
After starting his working life as builder, Lee had a complete change of direction in the mid-’80s and went to study theology. He has worked in various pastoral ministries for the past 30 years, and most recently as the pastor of a local church in Bolton where he lives. Lee started baking in 1984 when he injured his back playing cricket with his young son. He had to take time off work and found that baking was a welcome way to fill his days, and he hasn’t stopped since.
Hairdresser Louise lives in Cardiff with her fiance, and loves baking and decorating her cakes with elaborate designs, as well as experimenting with different flours and flavors when baking bread. Louise’s passion for baking has grown in the past 10 years after she started making cakes for the charity bake sale at work.
Michael is from London but is currently living with four friends in Durham, where he is studying politics and economics. His family is originally from Cyprus, and his heritage has a strong influence on his baking. He’s been making Greek pastries with his nan since he was a small boy. When he’s not playing for his college football (soccer to us in the States) team, Michael loves to make grand cakes and enjoys adding different flavors that aren’t traditionally used together.
Rav lives in Kent with his parents and is from a huge and extremely close family. He has an especially strong bond with his sister, who inspired him to bake. Rav studied criminology at university but took a different career path and now loves his job supporting students at City University London. Adventurous and experimental with his baking, Rav likes to use a whole range of unusual ingredients and thinks he has a good sense of flavor combinations, even if they might seem strange to others. He is especially inspired by far eastern cuisine and likes vegan baking.
Originally from Ghana, Selasi moved to the UK with his family 15 years ago and now lives with his girlfriend in London, where he works as a client service associate in a financial institution. Selasi has come a long way from baking fairy cakes back at university. He works long hours, but always finds time to bake, and colleagues are often shocked by the delicate cupcakes he makes for their charity bake sales.
Tom works as a project engagement manager for The Royal Society of Arts in London, where he lives with his wife, Kate. The pair like to make a real event out of every dinner. Tom always finds time to bake, and if he feels that he doesn’t, he will sit down and reevaluate, as it means that his work-life balance is off. Having lost a lot of weight, his mentality to food is now “have your cake and eat it,” so he still enjoys his bakes, but believes everything in moderation.
A former primary school head teacher, Val lives with husband Ian near Yeovil in south Somerset. At age 15 she took over the family baking and has stayed at the helm of the kitchen for now over 60 years. She says her style is traditional, and she can make the classics with her eyes closed, but she also enjoys searching the internet to find new recipes. Now semi-retired, Val still works two days a week as a substitute teacher, and she loves incorporating baking into her teaching so that the children can grow up with as much passion for it as she did.
British baking icons Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood are back to judge another season of 12 all-new baking contestants as the food competition phenomenon The Great British Baking Show (known as The Great British Bake Off in the U.K.) returns for its U.S. airing of Season 4 on PBS. (This upcoming season aired as Series 7 in the U.K. late last year, and received the highest-ever viewership for the series.)
Comedy duo Sue Perkins and Mel Gidroyc serve as hosts of the series that looks for the best amateur British baker. This season, competitors include a jet engine designer, a gym teacher and a college soccer player, among others, all of whom have other passions—including baking, which they will put to the test here.
Check out the 12 new bakers (not quite a baker’s dozen) for Season 4 in the gallery above!
The Great British Baking Show Season 4, Fridays at 9/8c beginning June 16 on PBS (check local listings)
