The Great British Bake Off 2021: Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith return to iconic tent
The Great British Bake Off is BACK! Paul Hollywood dons a MULLET to transform into country legend Billy Ray Cyrus as 12 new contestants tackle Cake Week after filming series in a Covid-safe bubble
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The Great British Bake Off made its long-awaited return to screens on Tuesday night, with 12 new bakers taking to the famous tent for Cake Week.
The series began with a hilarious homage to country music legend Billy Ray Cyrus, with Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith donning a mullet for a fun skit where they performed a rendition of his hit song Achy Breaky Heart.
This series, once again filmed in a Covid-safe bubble, will see the show’s most diverse group of bakers in the show’s history with a range of different cultures represented in the famous tent.
It’s back! The Great British Bake Off made its long-awaited return to screens on Tuesday night, with 12 new bakers taking to the famous tent for Cake Week
Paul and Prue began the series with a fun rendition of Cyrus’ hit single Achy Breaky Heart with the lyrics aptly changed to ‘flaky pastry tart,’ with hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas accompanying on instruments.
Ahead of the series launch, the show’s first ever vegan baker, Freya Cox was targeted by cruel trolls over her love of horse-riding.
The psychology student, 19, was forced to delete a Facebook page called Freya Cox Eventing, which had documented her achievements in the sport, after she was slammed online by those claiming it is cruel to animals.
The dressage champion had said she was ‘passionate about ethics’ while posting online about her excitement to join the tent as the show’s first vegan baker – meaning she won’t use animal products.
She penned: ‘The secret is finally out! I can’t believe I’m actually writing a post announcing I am going to be on the Great British Bake Off 2021 baking all vegan bakes.
‘I am so passionate about ethics and feel completely blessed to have the opportunity to share this with the world. To say I am the first completely vegan baker on GBBO feels like such an honour.
‘I will be posting loads of updates, bakes and behind the scenes pics over on my Instagram page if you’d like to follow me on there. Speak to you all soon…the future really is vegan.’
But the post was flooded with mean-spirited comments blasting the teenager for pictures she had posted online showing her riding a horse.
And more than half of the new line-up is inspired by its contestants’ foreign heritage – with a diverse mixture of cultures being brought to the tent, promising some exciting bakes to come.
Between them, this year’s cast come from far and wide, with family from Goa to Germany to Greece, as well as Cyprus, Kenya, Portugal and the Middle East.
A baker’s dozen! The line-up for The Great British Bake Off 2021 has been unveiled, ahead of the show’s season 12 debut on September 21 on Channel 4 at 8PM [L-R: New stars Elizabeth, George, Juergen, Crystelle, Jairzeno, Rochica, Giuseppe, Tom, Maggie, Chirag, Amanda and Freya]
A vast array of professions will also be in the tent, from a Met Police Detective to a Software Developer to a retired Nurse and Midwife.
The youngest of this year’s wannabe winners is a 19-year-old vegan psychology student from Yorkshire, while the rest of the contestants range between ages 26 – 70.
The Channel 4 show was filmed earlier this year with the contestants and crew placed in a COVID-safe filming bubble – the second time this has happened amid the pandemic.
