Leeds Mum Rises To The Great British Bake Off Challenge

9.3 million people tuned in to watch the start of the sixth season of the Great British Bake Off.

That's 2 million more than last year's premiere.

Of the contestants is Leeds mum of three Nadiya, who did well when tasked with making a Madeira cake and a Black Forest Gateau but came last with her walnut cake.

"I read it 'cover the cake', I read it the way I'd do it and then I just covered the top. I looked up when there was no time left and I thought 'oh my goodness'... Mine's the only one without the sides covered! I thought I should have looked around! I just never cover the side of my cake - I just did what I'd do at home. I got up and then I realised I'm on the Bake Off for goodness sake, look around!"

Each of the contestants have very different backgrounds, she tells Radio Aire, but they were all united in their love of baking. Nadiya's orginally from Bangladesh, which she used to customise the Madeira cake.

"I used cardamom and that's a spice we use a lot of in our desserts and for the first bake I thought 'this could be it' , I just figured a little bit of me each week would be fantastic. I got a little bit of me, a little bit of Bangladeshi - the spices I would use - into that first bake so I was happy.

"We never had an oven at home and it's just something when I started baking at school. I realised I really enjoyed it and I used to get home and think I really want to bake - but I can't because I don't have an oven. So I used to always bake at school with my home economics teacher."

Looking to the future Nadiya admits the show can be challenging and unpredictable but she'd have it no other way.

"As we know with baking, anything can go wrong. It can come out perfect or you just get a happy surprise and think 'oh it wasn't meant to turn out like that! It's okay we'll work with that' - I think it's those unpredictable times that keeps the viewers watching.

"It was stressful and tiring, but it is the most fun I've ever had. There's nothing like being a fan and then getting the opportunity to be a part of something you enjoy watching so much. I'm just glad I'm through to next week. We don't know what the future holds but I'm just enjoying each week at the moment."