Everything we know so far about Bake Off 2026 🍰
The show will return later this year!
The Great British Bake Off has become a staple of Autumn, and after filming for the 17th series took place earlier this year, fans are now gearing up for the return of the hit baking show.
As we count down the days until the 2026 series begins, here's everything we know so far, including the potential start date and the brand new judge!
When does Bake Off start?
Channel 4 bosses are yet announce a start date for the new series of Bake Off, but the show usually begins on a Tuesday in early September.
If the schedule follows the same format this year, we could see the show return on Tuesday 1st September - but this hasn't been confirmed.
Who are the bakers?
At this stage, the series 17 bakers are being kept under wraps!
What channel is Bake Off on?
The Great British Bake Off will return to Channel 4 for the upcoming series.
Is Prue Leith still on Bake Off?
Whilst Paul Hollywood will return for the 2026 series, Prue Leith announced in January that she'd made the decision to leave her role on the show, after nine amazing years.
The 86-year-old said in a social media statement: 'After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off.
'Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years, I have genuinely loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4.
'But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden. Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it.' (sic)
Who is the new judge on Bake Off?
Following Prue's departure, Channel 4 have signed up the icon that is Nigella Lawson for series 17 of Bake Off!
In a statement, Nigella said: “I’m uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now! Of course it’s daunting to be following in the footsteps of Prue Leith and Mary Berry before her, great dames both, but I’m also bubbling with excitement.
"The Great British Bake Off is more than a television programme, it’s a National Treasure – and it’s a huge honour to be entrusted with it. I’m just thrilled to be joining the team and all the new bakers to come, I wish the marvellous Prue all the best, and am giddily grateful for the opportunity!"
Who hosts Bake Off?
Back in 2022, Matt Lucas revealed he'd be leaving Bake Off due to work commitments, and bosses later went on to announce This Morning host Alison Hammond would be replacing him.
Announcing the news on Friday 17th March 2023, GBBO posted on social media: '🍞BAKING NEWS 🍞 We’re delighted to announce that Alison Hammond will be joining forces with Noel Fielding to host the next series of The Great British Bake Off on @Channel4 later this year. We cannot wait! #GBBO'. (sic)
Alison has hosted the show alongside Noel Fielding for the past three series, and the pair will return once again this year.
Who won the last series of Bake Off?
23-year-old medical student Jasmine Mitchell was crowned the 2025 Bake Off winner.
READ MORE: The Great British Bake Off: 17 things you didn't know about the hit series
Who has won Bake Off in the past?
There's so far been 16 winners of The Great British Bake Off. Edd Kimber won series one back in 2010, with Jasmine Mitchell winning the show in 2025.
Series 1: Edd Kimber
Series 2: Joanne Wheatley
Series 3: John Whaite
Series 4: Frances Quinn
Series 5: Nancy Birtwhistle
Series 6: Nadiya Hussain
Series 7: Candice Brown
Series 8: Sophie Faldo
Series 9: Rahul Mandal
Series 10: David Atherton
Series 11: Peter Sawkins
Series 12: Giuseppe Dell'Anno
Series 13: Syabira Yusoff
Series 14: Matty Edgell
Series 15: Georgie Grasso
Series 16: Jasmine Mitchell
What happens to the left over food on Bake Off?
Don't panic, food certainly does not get wasted on Bake Off! Any food then left over goes to crew members, with series four contestant Ali telling Birmingham Mail: "The cameramen literally stand there with forks in their back pockets, waiting to swoop as soon as filming stops."
Bake Off's Chief Home Economist Faenia Moore also told BBC Good Food: "It’s important for the bakers to eat what they’ve slaved over, so after each challenge I make up a 'baker’s basket' to go to their lunchroom."
How can I apply for Bake Off?
Applications are now closed for Bake Off.
Check out these facts about The Great British Bake Off:
1. Anyone can apply for Bake Off
Except professional bakers or chefs!
Applications are open to any UK resident over the age of 16. However they cannot make their main source of income from commercial baking and entrants can't have worked as a professional chef or baker at any point. Plus, applicants cannot have acquired any professional catering qualifications in the last ten years.
2. The GBBO application form is VERY LONG
It's seven pages long, asks a LOT of questions, and demands you reveal the truth about your previous successes and failures in the kitchen.
You can find it here.
3. The Great British Bake Off application process doesn’t stop there!
If they like what they see on your application form, a researcher will call you and give you a 45 minute interview over the phone.
Then, if you pass THAT test, they'll have you whip up two baked treats, bring them to London, have an interview with a producer, and go through a screen test.
Think you're done? Nope!
You then have to try out a Technical Challenge set by the GBBO judges - in front of the camera. They also ask that you bring another bake along (presumably the producers are taste testing these / big fans of cake).
If you're still in the running, you'll then be interviewed by the show's psychologist to make sure they can handle the pressure of filming.
4. GBBO filming is intense
The show is filmed over a 10-week period between April and June, with contestants spending up to 16 hours a day filming.
They manage to package up a whole session of baking into one hour, which means that a lot of it ends up on the cutting room floor.
5... but at least it’s contained to weekends
That's right, contestants only do their GBBO stuff on weekends, which means that they can keep working their normal 9-to-5 jobs in the week.
However they are picked up from their hotels at 9am each Saturday and Sunday morning, to ensure they get as much filming time in as possible.
No rest for the wicked, eh?
6. GBBO contestants don’t do the washing up themselves
There's no dishwasher on Bake Off, because the noise would disrupt filming. Instead, home economists spend 160 hours washing up everything by hand. We hope they all get given a free hand lotion each…
7. GBBO contestants pay for ingredients themselves
Yes, that's right. They only get their ingredients provided when they reach the finals - which makes things pretty expensive. Particularly as they use between 12-20 ingredients per bake.
8. A lot of people are involved in the production of GBBO
There are around 50 crew members on set - and, yes, they all get to tuck into the cakes and goodies after the judges give their verdict.
9. GBBO contestants are encouraged to become friends
Producers take all contestants out for dinner together on the first night, and they usually become good pals over time; they often stay at the same hotel, so dinners and drinks and socialising become pretty regular.
Which means that, yes, they really DO mean it when they say they're happy for the overall winner - they're pretty much all besties by that point!
10. They make more cakes than you’d ever dreamed of
They bake a Victoria Sponge in each oven every single morning of filming, to make sure everything is ship-shape and ready to go. We imagine everyone gets a bit sick of tucking into that particular type of cake come the end of filming!
11. The show is LITERALLY based on village fetes
That's right; Anna Beattie, the show's creator, really believed that village fete baking competitions would suit TV. Anna, judging by the viewing figures, was 100% correct!
12. Mel and Sue recommended Mary Berry
The duo were approached to present the show together - and they were quick to suggest that Mary Berry should be a judge back when GBBO was on BBC One. The show moved to Channel 4 in 2017 without Mary Berry.
13. It’s not a disaster if someone forgets an ingredient
In fact, producers are well and truly prepared if this happens; they have a runner on standby at a local supermarket every morning in case a contestant realises overnight that they've forgotten an ingredient.
14. Oven time is crucial
So much so that contestants aren't allowed to put anything in - or take anything out of - the oven without flagging a producer down first. They want to make sure that they have a camera on standby to film those big baking moments.
15. The Bake Off challenges are NOT surprises
If you make it through to the Bake Off finals, you will be told what the challenges are going to be - and you'll have to submit your recipes for approval. No pressure, eh?
16. Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood were off limits
Back when the show was on BBC One, they preferred to keep things professional with contestants, and wouldn't usually speak to them outside of the Bake Off tent.
17. … but Mel and Sue weren't
The duo were happy to chat to contestants away from the cameras - and Sue even said that she likes to stay in touch with them via email once the show is all over. N'aww.