The Great British Bake Off is finally back, with the 14th series of the hit baking show kicking off on Channel 4 on 26 September.
A new set of 12 amateur bakers have entered the tent and are hoping to impress Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith with their culinary skills. Presenter Noel Fielding is also back, but this time he's joined by Alison Hammond, who has replaced Matt Lucas as Noel's co-host on the show.
Over the years, we've watched some incredible bakers on GBBO and there's no doubt there will be some standout stars on this year's series. Some former contestants have gone on to carve out impressive careers in the spotlight, from TV shows to writing books, while others opted to shun the limelight after their GBBO stint.
Here, we take a look at some of the former GBBO contestants who are now nearly unrecognisable, including the mum who turned to bodybuilding and the baker who landed a spot on Strictly Come Dancing…
John Whaite
John Whaite won The Great British Bake Off back in 2012 and he's since gone on to carve out an impressive career as a television presenter and author.
The 34 year old has been a guest chef on shows such as Lorraine, This Morning and Sunday Brunch, and he also co-hosted ITV's Chopping Block and released four books.
John competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 alongside Johannes Radebe, with the duo coming in second place.
Ugne Bubnaityte
Ugne Bubnaityte appeared on GBBO back in 2015 and was the fifth baker to be booted off the show.
While she still has a passion for baking, Ugne has since pursued a career as a professional bodybuilder and has undergone a complete body transformation in recent years.
She can be seen showing off her chiselled abs in photos shared to her Instagram account, where she also still posts snaps of her incredible bakes.
Kim-Joy Hewlett
Kim-Joy was a fan favourite during her time on series nine of GBBO, thanks to her sparkling personality and string of colourful bakes.
Since the show, she's released several cookbooks and written for The Guardian newspaper. Her latest projects include releasing a card game (Kim Joy's Magic Bakery), penning a graphic novel and masterminding the cookbook Bake Me a Cat, a collection of show-stopping, feline-themed recipes.
Kim-Joy has also swapped her brunette locks for a statement bright orange colour, making her look completely different to her Bake Off days.
Cathryn Dresser
Cathryn Dresser appeared on The Great British Bake Off over a decade ago, and she's since gone on to become a successful author.
The baker, who was in her mid-20s when she appeared on the show, has since swapped her short brunette locks for long baby pink tresses. While Cathryn is still a keen baker, she's also looks to enjoy other hobbies including yoga.
Candice Brown
Former teacher Candice Brown took home the GBBO crown in 2016 and she's gone on to enjoy a varied career as well as transforming her look.
She's switched her hair up from brunette to blonde and ditched her dark lipsticks for pinks and reds over recent years.
Following her Bake Off win, Candice has landed numerous TV slots and regularly appears at food festivals. She also owns a country pub named The Green Man and has penned cookery books.
Tom Hetherington
Tom Hetherington proved popular with viewers when he appeared on GBBO in 2017, and was regularly branded "dapper" by fans.
The photogenic baker continues to keep his 33,700 Instagram followers up to date with his life and even showed off his ripped physique six years on from his TV breakthrough, as he sported a pair of speedos while on holiday.
Source: Read Full Article
