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

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.

Tasha, a participation officer from Bristol, will attempt to impress the judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

The 27-year-old is GBBO's first deaf contestant and said it was a “big moment” when presenter Noel Fielding introduced the latest host, Alison Hammond, and her British sign language interpreter (BSL), Daryl, to the show.

In the Instagram post that introduces her as part of the show’s line up, Great British Bake Off said: “Tasha is a participation officer from Bristol who says she bakes without fear. That’s easier said than done in the Tent especially with Paul and Prue near.”

Tasha said: “Seeing Daryl up at the front and feeling fully part of the show was a really special moment.

“I couldn’t have done it without him and without the dedication from the show ensuring I had the same access as the other bakers.”

Tasha said that she and Daryl both cried when she found out she was going to be on the show.

She added: “We were a mess. I didn’t say anything that made sense because I was so unprepared to be told that, I never thought that it would be me going to the tent.”

The chief executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society,  Susan Daniels, said it was “vitally important that deaf children and young people see positive deaf role models on TV and in the media”.

Ms Daniels added: “It’s great to see the Great British Bake Off include a deaf contestant for the first time. We’re confident that they’ll rise to the challenge.”

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, 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 of The Great British Bake Off.

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