The Great British Bake Off is returning to our screens next week and the new contestants have been revealed, including one from the West Midlands.

Whether you’re a keen baker and fan of the show or you’re new to the baking world, you might be wondering who will be taking part in the competition this year.

Nicky, a volunteer at a pet-therapy charity, will attempt to impress the judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

The 52-year-old is a retired cabin crew member from the West Midlands.

Nicky describes her baking as "like a pair of comfy old slippers; little traditional bakes that evoke fond memories".

These memories are of her Gran’s kitchen table where she would roll out pastries and decorate cakes as a little girl which she says was as much fun then as all her baking is to her now.

Her favourite thing to bake is still pastries but she also likes to bake bread as well as birthday cakes for her niece and grandchildren.

Nicky also likes to ski, a hobby she started when she was just three years old.

Who are the 2023 Great British Bake Off contestants?

From a teacher to a delivery driver, there are 12 new contestants ready to take on the baking challenges in the new series, they are:

  • Tasha - Participation officer from Bristol
  • Saku - Intelligence analyst from Herefordshire
  • Rowan - English literature student from West Yorkshire
  • Nicky - Volunteer at a pet-therapy charity from the West Midlands
  • Matty - Science and PE teacher from Cambridgeshire
  • Keith - Chartered accountant from Hampshire
  • Josh - Post-doctoral research associate and chemist by trade from Leicestershire
  • Dana - Database administrator from Essex
  • Dan - Resource planner in civil engineering from Cheshire
  • Cristy - Personal assistant from east London
  • Amos - Manager of a deli from north London
  • Abbi - Delivery driver from Cumbria

How to watch The Great British Bake Off 2023

Viewers don’t have long to wait until they can tune into this year’s series.

The first episode will air on Tuesday, September 26 at 8pm on Channel 4.