The Great British Bake Off: Your ultimate recap of the 2025 series
Jasmine Mitchell won the show!
Last updated 6th Aug 2026
The Great British Bake Off returned to our screens in 2025, as more hopeful bakers entered the famous tent with the hope of impressing Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
As series 16 concluded on Wednesday 5th November 2025, here's your ultimate guide to Bake Off, including the winner!
When was the 2025 final?
The final took place on Wednesday 5th November 2025.
Who was in the 2025 final?
After nine weeks, three bakers made it to the final, including Jasmine, Tom and Aaron.
Who won Bake Off in 2025?
23-year-old medical student Jasmine Mitchell was crowned the 2025 Bake Off winner.
When did it start?
The 2025 series of Bake Off started slightly earlier than usual, kicking off on Tuesday 2nd September 2025.
Who were the bakers on series 16?
12 aspiring bakers were unveiled for the 2025 series on Monday 18th August, including 51-year-old bridal designer Pui Man, 23-year-old medical student Jasmine, and 29-year-old software engineer Iain.
Jasmine: WINNER
Age: 23
Location: London
Job: Medical student
Aaron: FINALIST
Age: 38
Location: London
Job: Senior systems architect
Tom: FINALIST
Age: 31
Location: London
Job: Creative entrepreneur
Toby: ELIMINATED
Age: 29
Location: Warwickshire
Job: Business development executive
Iain: ELIMINATED
Age: 29
Location: Belfast
Job: Software engineer
Lesley: ELIMINATED
Age: 59
Location: Kent
Job: Hairdresser
Nataliia: ELIMINATED
Age: 32
Location: East Yorkshire
Job: Office assistant
Nadia: ELIMINATED
Age: 41
Location: Liverpool
Job: Hairdresser
Jessika: ELIMINATED
Age: 32
Location: London
Job: Service designer
Pui Man: ELIMINATED
Age: 51
Location: Essex
Job: Bridal designer
Leighton :ELIMINATED
Age: 59
Location: Surrey
Job: Software delivery manager
Hassan: ELIMINATED
Age: 30
Location: South Yorkshire
Job: Analytical research and development scientist
Who was Star Baker on Bake Off?
Week One: Nataliia
Week Two: Tom
Week Three: Jasmine
Week Four: Jasmine
Week Five: Aaron
Week Six: Jasmine
Week Seven: Toby
Week Eight: Jasmine
Week Nine: Jasmine
Who was evicted on Bake Off?
Week One: Hassan
Week Two: Leighton
Week Three: Pui Man
Week Four: Jessika
Week Five: Nadia
Week Six: Natalia
Week Seven: Lesley
Week Eight: Iain
Week Nine: Toby
What week is it on Bake Off?
Week One: Cake week
Week Two: Biscuit week
Week Three: Bread week
Week Four: Back To School week
Week Five: Chocolate week
Week Six: Pastry week
Week Seven: Meringue week
Week Eight: Dessert Week
Week Nine: Patisserie Week
What channel was Bake Off on?
The Great British Bake Off series 16 aired on Channel 4, with episodes also available to watch on All 4.
Who hosted series 16?
Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding hosted the 2025 series of Bake Off.
Who were the judges?
Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith returned for the 2025, casting their eye over the bakers and deciding the results each week!
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.