Celebrity Bake Off: A full recap of the 2024 series

The annual show is in aid of Stand Up To Cancer

Author: Alex RossPublished 15th Apr 2024
Last updated 15th Apr 2024

After the likes of David Schwimmer, Gemma Collins, Mike Wozniak, Jesy Nelson, and Paddy McGuinness took part in the 2023 series of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer, it's safe to say expectations were very high for the 2024 series.

And they certainly didn't disappoint! After bosses revealed which famous faces would be entering the Bake Off tent to show off their skills for the 2024 series, the show has now concluded after five incredible episodes!

When was it on TV?

Celeb Bake off began on Sunday 17th March at 7.40pm, with new episodes every Sunday night.

The final episode aired on Sunday 14th April.

Who took part in Celeb Bake Off?

After TV presenter Dermot O'Leary and Spice Girls singer Mel B were announced on Friday 2nd February, the rest of the line-up was unveiled on Monday 5th February, including Danny Dyer, Paloma Faith, Leigh Francis, Gabby Logan, Jodie Whittaker and Spencer Matthews.

Check out the full line-up below:

Adam Hills

Best known for: TV presenter

Danny Dyer

Best known for: Actor

Dermot O'Leary

Best known for: TV and radio presenter

Fern Brady

Best known for: Comedian

Greg James

Best known for: TV and radio presenter

Jodie Whittaker

Best known for: Actress

Joe Locke

Best known for: Actor

Leigh Francis

Best known for: TV presenter

Mel B

Best known for: Spice Girl

Munya Chawawa

Best known for: Actor

Oti Mabuse

Best known for: Strictly professional and Dancing On Ice judge

Paloma Faith

Best known for: Singer/songwriter

Reverend Richard Coles

Best known for: Writer and radio presenter

Rhod Gilbert

Best known for: Comedian and TV presenter

Sara Cox

Best known for: TV and radio presenter

Spencer Matthews

Best known for: Reality TV star

Gabby Logan

Best known for: TV presenter

Suzi Ruffell

Best known for: Comedian and writer

Yinka Bokinni

Best known for: Radio presenter

David O'Doherty

Best known for: Comedian and author

Who is on which episode?

The groups were confirmed for the 2024 series, with Jodie Whittaker, Paloma Faith, Munya Chawawa and Spencer Matthews having featured in episode one.

Episode one: Jodie Whittaker, Paloma Faith, Munya Chawawa and Spencer Matthews.

Episode two: Danny Dyer, Rhod Gilbert, Yinka Bokinni, and Leigh Francis.

Episode three: David O’Doherty, Oti Mabuse, Gabby Logan, and Suzi Ruffell.

Episode four: Dermot O’Leary, Greg James, Fern Brady and Mel B.

Episode five: The Reverend Richard Coles, Sara Cox, Joe Locke and Adam Hills.

Who was crowned Star Baker?

Episode one: Spencer Matthews

Episode two: Leigh Francis

Episode three: David O’Doherty

Episode four: Dermot O'Leary

Episode five: Sara Cox

What channel was it on?

Just like the main series, The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer aired on Channel 4. Episodes are also available to watch on Channel 4's streaming service.

How many episodes were there?

The 2024 series contained five 60-minute episodes.

Who hosted the series?

After joining the main show as host last year, Alison Hammond once again joined Noel Fielding to present the 2024 series of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.

Who are the judges?

The fabulous Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith returned to judge this year's celebrities, tasting their baked goods and picking their Star Baker each week.

Who won Celeb Bake Off last year?

Over five episodes in 2023, five different celebs were crowned Star Baker, including David Schwimmer, Jessica Hynes, David Morrissey, Joe Thomas and Deborah Meaden.

Read a full recap of the 2023 series right here.

Check out all of these facts you didn't know about 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.

The final episode of Celebrity Bake Off aired on Sunday 14th April on Channel 4.

Now read:

Your ultimate recap of Celebrity Bake Off 2023

The Great British Bake Off: 17 things you didn't know about the hit series

The Great British Bake Off: Where do the leftovers go?

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