The new cast of The Great British Bake Off 2026 has officially been revealed.
Channel 4 will bring the popular baking competition back to screens on Tuesday, September 22.
This year, 12 bakers will enter the famous Bake Off tent. They will compete for the chance to impress the judges and reach the final.
Paul Hollywood will return to the judging panel. Meanwhile, Nigella Lawson will join him as a new judge for the 2026 series.
The latest cast includes people from different backgrounds and professions. The group features a doctor, students, an artist, a hairdresser and a former dancer.
Here is everything you need to know about this year’s contestants.
Clara
Clara is 24 and comes from Hertfordshire. She works as a marketing graduate.
Originally from Aveiro in Portugal, Clara has a strong love for animals. She shares her home with her spaniel, Gigi, and her hedgehog, Pecan.
Connie
Connie is 63 and lives in London. She works as an NHS hospital discharge lead.
Alongside her long NHS career, Connie runs a music centre with her husband. Her husband works as a music teacher.
Danni
Danni is 25 and comes from Dorset. They work as a service centre administrator.
Danni has a passion for technology. They enjoy web design and game development.
Their baking often takes inspiration from video games, fantasy and animation.
Gabe
Gabe is 32 and comes from the West Midlands. They work as an artist and drag king.
Gabe performs as Blü Romantic on Birmingham’s drag scene. They also work as a costume designer and theatre producer.
They enjoy gardening and live with their partners, Ellis and Tyler. Their two sausage dogs are called Dill and Sage.
Gary
Gary is 67 and comes from Nottinghamshire. He is a retired garment technologist.
He only discovered baking five years ago. Since then, he has developed a strong passion for it.
Gary also cares for several animals, including sheep, horses, chickens and pygmy goats.
Molly
Molly is 31 and lives in London. She works as an accessibility co-ordinator.
She says baking helped her during a difficult period in 2020. Molly also enjoys cross-stitching and Formula 1.
She is currently creating a huge 350,000-stitch landscape inspired by Rivendell.
Moyin
Moyin is 22 and comes from Essex. She studies political economy. Additionally, she started baking when she was five. She also competes in sprinting.
Moyin previously won the under-20s county championship in the 100 metres.
Mo
Mo is 21 and comes from the West Midlands. He is a law student.
He describes his personality as chaotic and random. His interest in baking began when he discovered Play-Doh at just three years old.
Nikki
Nikki is 50 and lives in London. She works as an advertising post-producer.
She previously worked as a podium dancer at Ziggy’s nightclub in Basingstoke during the 1990s.
Music often inspires Nikki’s baking. Her influences range from nostalgic R&B to classical music.
Shannon
Shannon is 29 and comes from Gloucestershire. She works as a project planner.
She loves nature and spending time outdoors. Her pets include two dogs and a tortoise.
Shannon hopes to bring a sense of “forest magic” to the Bake Off tent.
Tom
Tom is 25 and comes from West Yorkshire. He works as a hairdresser.
He developed his love of baking during childhood. Therefore, he preferred baking with his grandmother while his family attended football matches.
Tom recently spent seven months travelling around Southeast Asia. He also describes himself as someone who loves to share personal stories.
Yannis
Yannis is 28 and lives in London. He works as a doctor.
He was born in Vienna and moved to the UK as a child. Watching Bake Off helped him improve his English.
Away from medicine and baking, Yannis enjoys Bhangra dancing.
The Great British Bake Off 2026 will premiere on Channel 4 on Tuesday, September 22. The episode will begin at 8pm.
With 12 new bakers, Paul Hollywood and new judge Nigella Lawson, the latest series promises plenty of competition, creativity and memorable bakes.
