Everything that happened in The Great British Bake Off 2016

The Great British Bake Off is back and we couldn't be more excited!

Oh how we missed Mary Berry's vibrant wardrobe, Paul Hollywood's stern stare and Mel and Sue's endless innuendos, not to mention all the cakes, bakes and buns galore. Bake Off 2016 couldn't have come sooner!

So, if you want to regularly relive a little of the Wednesday night magic, we're going to be rounding up exactly what happened so that each week right here, so you can find out who was shedding happy tears by the end and who we have to wave a sad goodbye to...

The Great British Bake Off 2016: The finalists

Say hello to The Great British Bake Off finalists. Yes, we can’t believe its that time in the show already. The semi-final is over and we’re counting down to next week’s final. Eek!

The Great British Bake Off Episode 9: What happened?

The semi-finals saw Candice, Andrew, Jane and Selasi battle it out for the chance to be in the Bake Off 2016 final. One of the hardest weeks so far, Patisserie Week saw bakers make some mouth-watering French favourites, layered cakes and lots and lots of mess!

Signature challenge: Palmiers

First the bakers were set the challenge of making French palmiers. Pastry palmiers are made with puff pastry and filled with all sorts of delicious fillings including Selasi’s choice of savoury pesto, sundried tomatoes – yum!

Jane’s palmiers had great flavour but were a little too under baked for Mary. Candice’s had perfect crisp pastry but lost flavour – oops! Selasi got the thumbs up but his palmiers were a little too messy and Andrew, after remaking his puff pastry, ‘got away with it’ according to Paul.

Technical challenge: Savarin

A savarin is a light ring-shaped cake made with yeast and soaked in liqueur-flavoured syrup - certainly a tough challenge for this week’s bakers. With brief instructions, the semi-finalists had to work out the sponge, the syrup and the topping all on their own!

Candice’s decoration was good but it was under proved which Paul wasn’t very happy about but the texture of the sponge and the flavour got a big thumbs up. Andrew’s bake was ‘soaked beautifully’ according to Mary. Selasi’s was inconsistent with colour and his decoration was a little off – oops! And Jane’s had great colour, neat and uniform but the sponge pulled it back for her.

Selasi’s came fourth and Jane’s savarin was number one!

Showstopper challenge: Fondant fancies

For the final challenge in episode nine, the bakers were set the task of making classic fondant fancies. With 36 in total, the bakers well and truly had their work cut out.

Candice pushed the boat out with her fondant fancies and Paul and Mary were very happy with both of her bakes. Selasi’s fondant fancies had perfectly baked sponges but his flavours were not 100% on point. Jane’s showstopper may not looked as smart or tempting as Mary hoped but her flavours, and inside of each fondant fancy was perfection. And finally, Andrew impressed Mary with his presentation and finish and the flavour was delicious too.

What was the star baker in episode nine?

In episode nine Andrew was the star baker – and well deserved too!

Who was voted off in episode nine?

In episode nine we sadly said goodbye to Selasi – which means that Candice, Andrew and Jane have made it into the finals.

The Great British Bake Off Episode 8: What happened?

Episode eight of The Great British Bake Off saw a first for the famous themes of the show, it was time for the five remaining contestants to face Tudor Week. Yes, not satisfied with Victoria sponges or other classic tea time treats Mary and Paul decided to go way back for the quarter final, to good old Henry's reign - 500 years ago!

Signature challenge: Pies

A Tudor classic, the humble pie had the bakers all hot and flustered over their pastry cases and saw some flourish while a few failed. Mary wanted a very fine balance of a full and meaty filling with pastry that was thick enough to slice nicely but not too thin that it would let the filling escape.

As ever Andrew had an elaborate plan, and decided he wanted his pies to look like a Leonardo Di Vinci spiral, naturally. When it was finally presented the pie stand was made up of cogs that actually turned and Mary said that, 'the bake from the outside [looked] absolutely right' while Paul said it was a 'good flavour' too once he had tried it.

If you think you’ve got what it takes then have a go at our pork pie recipe. It’s easy, we promise!

Technical challenge: Tudor biscuits

What an earth is a Tudor biscuit you ask? Well they're 'jumbles' of course which Mel said would be, 'the sort of thing that would grace any Tudor biscuit tin'. Mary and Paul wanted six of each of their two chosen knotted designs and were looking for a spiced, crisp biscuit. And what exactly were they testing the bakers on? Why their dexterity of course.

It wasn't plain sailing for the bakers, some people's biscuits didn't hold their shape and some came out a bit pale thanks to a lack of egg wash and sugar. Coming in last was Jane for the first time ever in the competition, for her loss of definition while first place went to Candice for her 'nice bold shapes with big gaps in the middle'.

Showstopper challenge: A marzipan centerpiece

The Queen of baking herself simply explained that when it comes to marzipan sculpting, 'the more elaborate [the design] the better'. Paul added that there were actually two different marzipan types - one is a traditional baked marzipan, that is hard like a biscuit and which was very common in Tudor times. Later on, he explained, cooks created a new marzipan recipe with the addition of eggs which made it soft like the icing we know and love today. Who knew, eh?

Jane's elaborate square cake creation was topped with intricate silver painted swans and gilded braided marzipan boarders. When presented with it Mary said, 'looking at it from the top it looks very Tudor,' before adding, 'I love your swans and the whole decoration looks'.

At the other end of the scale Benjaminia's Tudor garden was criticized for being too simplistic while her bake was said to be a little too dense, but Mary sympathized saying a light apple sponge was very hard to do!

And the best bit? Well Andrew's 'jousting knights'. They were meant to be carrying lances in their hands but after placing them rather in a rather unfortunate position Andrew's weapons looked like something else...

If you fancy yourself as a bit of an artist then why not try our very simple marzipan roses to get you off to a perfect start? Guaranteed to get you feeling like a star maker.

Who was the star baker in episode eight?

Thanks to her fabulous marzipan work Candice was crowned Star Baker. To make her way to the top she presented Mary and Paul with a multi coloured, 3D peacock piñata cake, which frankly looked fabulous in our opinion. And it wasn't just us who thought so. Mary said she had 'really cracked it' and all Paul was so impressed he praised her for 'incredible work'.

Who was voted off in episode eight?

It was with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to Benjaminia but after she found the marzipan a little tricky she was voted off by the judges. Mel comforted her by saying she had been a 'sheer joy' to have on the show. She allowed herself a tear or two, but eventually said: 'quarter finalist, once it sinks in, I'll know I've done something really, really cool.'

The Great British Bake Off Episode 7: What happened?

Week seven saw the Bake Off contestants tackle the Dessert week tasks set by Mary and Paul and things certainly heated up in the tent! With only six bakers left, the pressure was on to impress and while some of the contestants did just that - others certainly struggled!

Signature challenge: Roulade

First up, the bakers had to get to grips with a roulade. The rules were: it must be sweet and it must be a sponge roulade, not meringue! With that in mind, the contestants didn't fail to come up with some very original and colourful ideas - we loved Benjamina's pina colada roulade - so fruity and fun, unfortunately the flavour combination didn't go down too well with Paul. Jane didn't have much luck impressing the judges either, especially after she rolled her roulade up the wrong way... oops!

If you want to get it right, then give our chocolate Swiss roll a go - trust us, it's SO easy to make and it's super tasty too!

Technical challenge: Marjolaine cake

'A what?!' We hear you say! Don't worry, you're not alone... A marjolaine cake is a bit like a gateaux, but a bit more involved.

With four layers of nutty meringue, layers of buttercream and ganache, as well as perfect decoration in the form of a crosshatch pattern and plenty of nuts, the bakers had their hands full if they wanted to get it right!

The instructions left for the bakers by Mary and Paul were obscure as ever and with only three hours to make this elaborate cake, there were more than a few sweaty brows in the Bake Off tent.

Selasi couldn't quite get his right - neither the taste nor the decoration was quite spot on and he came last in sixth place for this challenge. Andrew, however, seemed to tick all the judges' boxes. After a bit of a shaky week last week, he managed to pick things up, and came first in the Technical challenge, much to his delight!

Showstopper challenge: Mini mousse cakes

For the Showstopper challenge, the contestants had a bit of a tall order to contend with. They were asked to make 24 mini mousse cakes - two different flavours and 12 of each. The mousse had to be light and airy, with layers of sponge - and as always - be beautifully presented! You can try your hand at making mini mousses at home - they're really delicate and speedy to make! Or, you can just as easily make your own double chocolate mousse cake, yum!

Andrew's childhood ice cream mousse cakes impressed the judges, especially being presented on a mini homemade ferris wheel which was nostalgic of a family day at the seaside. Jane's cakes chocolate and coffee cakes had "a nice moussey-ness to them" according to Mary, with Paul commenting "I think you've done really well!"

Paul enjoyed Selasi's cakes, saying "I love these, I love the passion fruit, it's a lovely flavour", however, Mary chimed in "you've forgotten the word mini", as they were a bit more on the large side! Despite this, they seemed to go down well with the judges.

Mary and Paul both went in for seconds with Benjamina's cakes - something we don't see very often, so she must have done something right!

Who was the star baker in episode seven?

After fearing he'd be voted off last week, Andrew won Star Baker this week! He managed to impress the judges at all stages - particularly with his light fluffy mousse and fab presentation in the showstopper challenge. Congrats Andrew!

Who was voted off in episode seven?

And then there were five... Poor Tom got voted off, despite being voted Star Baker the previous week! Unfortunately, there's no room for error in the lead-up to the quarter final and his performance didn't really cut it with Mary and Paul, especially with his thick mousse that was "stodgy and thick", as Paul put it!

So there we have it. Week seven is over and we can't wait for next week's Bake Off already!

The Great British Bake Off Episode 6: What happened?

Episode six of The Great British Bake Off was Botanical Week - yes, a first for the Bake Off. Mary and Paul well and truly turned up the heat this week. The bakers got floral, fancy and of course, flustered too...

Signature challenge: Citrus meringue pie

The bakers were set the challenge of making a citrus meringue pie to start off the week - think lemon meringue pie, orange, lime, anything citrus went for this challenge!

The bakers got creative with flavours including Selasi who opted for grapefruit and orange pie with a hint of mint, Rav who went for mandarin margarita meringue pie and Andrew who made a ginger and lime meringue pie - delicious right?

Our favourite kind of meringue pie is a lemon meringue pie - nothing beats the tangy lemon curd, thick buttery pastry and not forgetting the soft, gooey meringue topping. Mmmm...

Technical challenge: Fougasse

What is Fougasse we hear you say? Well, this herby bread is a French bread associated with Provence. It has slashes in the bread to resemble an ear of wheat. It was traditional baked in a wood oven but can now be made at home in your regular oven - just like the bakers used! It reminds us of a flat foccacia or garlic bread that looks like a giant leaf.

A Paul Hollywood recipe, this challenge certainly pushed the bakers to their limits. With brief instructions the bakers were scratching their heads at this bread challenge.

Unfortunately Selasi's fougasse just didn't tick all of Paul boxes but Tom soared through as number one in this technical challenge.

Showstopper challenge: Floral cake

The bakers were set the challenge of a three-tiered floral cake this week. Decorated with flowers, filled with flowers, flavoured with flowers - flowers galore! The decoration had to be exceptional this week to really win over the judges.

Andrew opted for a spring elderflower showstopper decorated with Swiss buttercream and decorated with delicate edible flowers, Candice opted for a four season cake representing all of the seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter and Bake Off contestant Jane made a three-tiered orange cake with handmade flowers.

Selasi certainly impressed Mary and Paul this week. Candice and Tom also got a thumbs up too with their three-tiered masterpiece. Andrew, Jane and Rav bakes were less impressive however and just didn't do it for Paul - oops!

Who was the star baker in episode six?

This week's star baker was Tom - for the second time in the series. Well done Tom!

Who was voted off in episode six?

Unfortunately we had to say goodbye to Rav this week - we were certainly sad to see him go!

The Great British Bake Off Episode 5: What happened?

Episode five of The Great British Bake Off was pastry week, with Mary and Paul challenging the amateur bakers to many a buttery bake. There were pitfalls, peaks and of course a few pies.

Signature challenge: Danish Pastries

Episode five of The Great British Bake Off kicked off with a tricky signature challenge with Mary and Paul asking for two different Danish pastries from every baker - and a cool dozen of each flavour.

There was many a possible pitfall with the dough needing various rounds of proving to become flaky and beautifully soft and to avoid it becoming as 'dry as old boots,' as Mary so delicately put it. While their doughs were coming together the bakers also needed to create their distinctly differently flavoured fillings. It was here that Candice stood out, for being the only baker brave enough to try a savoury Danish pasty, making croque monsieur themed bakes using mushrooms and pancetta.

Val plumped for pinwheels and had a rather ingenious hack to cut her dough in perfect circles. She used a loop of dental floss!

Other people's flavours included exotic combos like American banana and peanut butter and a tropical mango, ginger and rhubarb.

Technical challenge: Bakewell tarts

It was a classic British bake the judges wanted in round two with them asking for Bakewell tarts. The only problem was, they provided recipes that included rather vague instructions like 'make pastry' and 'cook a jam'. Clear then. Oh and Mary wanted 'sheer perfection' and warned the bakers to keep their cool! Easy for you to say, Mary.

And what were they after exactly? Clearly defined layers of jam, frangipane and feathered icing of course! With helpful 'bake-well' wishes from Sue and Mel the bakers were off.

Andrew was the first man to fall when he forgot to turn his oven on and only realised fifteen minutes later, meaning he didn't have time for his tart to cool before he iced it. Rav was second to stumble when half of his tart case fell away before he had to present it to the judges. This little slip up put Rav last in the blind judging line up for the third week in a row with Paul damning his efforts by telling him his Bakewell was 'just goo'. Don't mince your words now Paul, will you?

Jane came first place thanks to her 'beautiful crust, good feathering' and her correct 'proportions of frangipane to raspberry jam'.

Showstopper challenge: Filo pastry amuse bouches

And after the first two tense rounds the bakers were faced with yet another seemingly impossible task. Mary and Paul aren't known for their mercy. They asked all the bakers for 48 filo pastry amuse bouches. They wanted 24 of both a sweet and a savoury amuse bouche flavour.

To get their filo pastry to a satisfactory level of 'thin' they had to go about rolling it with a pin and stretching it then with their hands. Val, of course, ignored both of these traditional methods in favour of using a broom handle. A technique, she told us, that she 'got off the internet.'

Who was the star baker in episode five?

For the second time this series lipstick-loving Candice was crowned the coveted star baker thanks to her gorgeous apple, pork and black pudding savoury filo balls and her banoffee bites in the final round. Paul praised her offerings by saying they were a '10/10' while Mary pronounced her efforts 'scrumptious'.

Who was voted off in episode five?

It was with great sadness that we saw Val leave the Bake Off tent, but Mary and Paul divulged that they were in 'total agreement' over the decision after she struggled through each round this week with all sorts of problems, starting with a soggy bottom.

It was clear that Val was well-loved by judges and contestants alike however, with everyone praising her positive attitude and Paul explaining that, 'she really buoyed everyone up each week.' Andrew revealed that Val came up with games in between each round of filming to keep the other contestants entertained with her final game being her reading out a shopping receipt from the 70s and making everyone guess the prices of things. Kind of weird, but we also kind of want to play.

And what did Val have to say on the matter? Well, visibly emotional, Val explained: 'whenever I make anything I stir love into it, I knead love into it - so when I present it's special. I've had a great time, with some great people and I didn't ever expect to ever get here.' Awww, just another reason why you'll go down as one of our favourite ever GBBO contestants Val!

The Great British Bake Off Episode 4: What happened?

Week four on Bake Off saw a first ever for the show... Batter week! The remaining nine bakers had to contend with all manner of batter-related challenges to try and impress Mary and Paul and what a week it was! We saw a few disasters and a few masterpieces, but as always, Bake Off didn't fail to keep us on our toes. Here's how the contestants got on...

Signature challenge: Yorkshire puddings

A Sunday lunch classic, Yorkshire puddings were on the menu for the bakers this week. Mary and Paul had strict requirements as to how they wanted the Yorkshires to look and taste. They had to be identical and hold a savoury filling, not to mention perfectly risen. Even Mary commented how tough this challenge would be, given that once the batter goes in the oven "it's in the lap of the gods".

Jane's meat and two veg Yorkshires went down a treat, with Mary and Paul commending her that they were 'amazing'. Poor Tom, however didn't have much luck, with his west Yorkshire fushion puddings going flat like a 'blini with rice on top' (with Paul being brutally honest as ever...!). A few bakers had to restart theirs, but it wasn't a problem for Selasi whose puddings were as light and fluffy as air.

If you fancy making your own Yorkshire puddings, we've got a foolproof recipe for you to try that gets that perfect rise every time.

Technical challenge: Lacey pancakes

A bit of an unusual one for the technical challenge this week - 'lacey heart-shaped pancakes, like a doily' were the instructions, but the bakers weren't offered much direction other than that.

Once again, the pancakes had to be uniform in colour, pattern and size, which is no easy feat! We saw some burnt pancakes, some undercooked pancakes and then also some really neat, pretty pancakes with elaborate patterns. In 9th place came Rav whose pancakes were 'a bit like waffles', and Benjamina came first, impressing the judges with her intricate pattern and perfectly cooked pancakes. Yum!

If you want to try your hand at making lacey patterns, use our pancake recipe to make your batter for that perfect golden pancake.

Showstopper challenge: Churros

For the showstopper challenge, the bakers had to contend with a sweet, Spanish classic - churros! Traditionally rolled in sugar and served with chocolate dipping sauce, the bakers had to get creative with their shapes and dips to get Mary and Paul excited. While Rav's macha churros with a chocolate and wasabi dip (he made a total of three dips!) sounded really impressive, he failed to sway the judges, with Paul telling him 'they don't look very nice, and I don't like the flavour'... Ouch! Benjamina's tropical churros on the other hand were a hit, as were Jane's pistachio and white chocolate churros, even though she admitted she had 'never had churros before'.

Overall, it was a week of ups and downs for many of the bakers - succeeding in some areas and struggling in others... But that's what Bake Off is all about.

Who was the star baker in episode four?

Benjamina won the coveted Star Baker title in week four and it was thoroughly deserved! She impressed at every stage and we loved her pretty churros - they looked delicious!

Who was voted off in episode four?

Poor Kate struggled to get it right this week, and Paul summed it up perfectly at the end when he said, 'is she the worst baker here? Certainly not. But she was the worst baker this weekend', so we said goodbye to her.

And that's it until week when the bakers are faced with more challenges for pastry week.

The Great British Bake Off Episode 3: What happened?

Episode three over and done with already - how can this be?! This week was a Paul Hollywood specialty, yes, it was bread week which meant Mr Hollywood was even tougher on the contestants than usual.

Signature challenge: Chocolate bread

First on the list for the bakers this week was chocolate bread (sounds delicious right?) from chocolate twists to chocolate brioche, the bakers certainly had their work cut out.

Paul was rather impressed with Andrew's choc bread, Rav's small loaf and Tom's Chelsea bun tray but Benjamina and Val failed miserably. They weren't the only ones though, so many bakers chocolate bread was undercooked - oops!

If we were whipping up something for Paul we'd of opted for our easy Nutella brioche (pictured above) or even our 2 ingredient ice cream bread - tempting right?

Technical challenge: Dampfnudel

Yes, we've never heard of this odd bread either but it's a popular sweet roll enjoyed in Germany and in France. It's often eaten for dessert or after a meal served with a variety of different sauces including plum sauce. The Dampfnudel is a steamed sweet white bread roll. Another way of thinking of it is as a sweet dumpling! Get it now?

It was one of the toughest challenges yet - most of the bakers Dampfnudel were raw or under baked and Paul was definitely not impressed. First place saw Val take the champion title and poor Rav came last.

Showstopper challenge: Plaited centrepiece

In episode three, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood set the bakers the challenge of making savoury plaited centrepieces for their showstoppers - we've never seen so much bread!

Jane certainly pulled herself back after the last two rounds of raw dough - Paul was loved her paprika infused plaited loaf coated in pumpkin seeds. Andrew ‘wowed' Paul and Mary yet again with his bread skills - the design, the flavour got top marks.

Benjamina got top marks too; ‘gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous' from Paul. That'll do nicely! Mary Berry was so happy with Kate's bake she said she wanted to go on her next picnic, can we come too Kate?!

Who was the star baker in episode three?

Choosing a star baker for this week was a tough choice but Tom pulled it out of the bag. Well done Tom - his first star baker title for this series.

Who was voted off in episode three?

Sadly we had to say goodbye to Michael in episode three - we were shocked to see him leave. Poor Michael!

The Great British Bake Off Episode 2: What happened?

Episode two of The Great British Bake Off saw the contestants battling with biscuits - however, among the sugar and flour there was one core member of the team missing.

Mel Giedroyc presented solo in the tent, as her co-presenter Sue Perkins had to miss filming due to a family bereavement. It's been reported that one of Sue's family members passed away before they began filming episode two, which was shot in April.

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood were on hand to keep Mel company, however, while they decided who was the best biscuit baker of them all.

Signature challenge

Episode two kicked off with an iced biscuit challenge from judges Mary and Paul. The bakers could choose from any flavour combination and icing techniques, but what they didn't have a choice about was that they had to produce 24 identical biscuits with a good snap!

There was everything from 'flooded' icing to feathered icing and flavour combinations ranged from Andrew's honeycomb shaped honey biscuits (which paul dubbed "stale" tasting) to Selasi's Scotch bonnet chilli and lime motorbike bakes (which Paul "loved").

Despite them not revealing their favourites after the first round Paul and Mary did say that they thought Tom had "nailed" the challenge with his chai frappacino biccies. Nice one, Tom.

Technical challenge: Vienesse Whirls

Viennese whirls were the order of the day when it came to the technical challenge, with Paul and Mary demanding 12 melt-in-the-mouth biscuits filled with buttercream and jam in one and a half hours.

Kate came out on top for her buttery biscuits that were all evenly sized with a good, short bite to them and an even filling.

Showstopper challenge: 3D gingerbread 'stories'

They don't ask for much now do they, our Mary and Paul? All they wanted this time was a gingerbread scene that paid homage to a personal story from the bakers' lives that had to be at least 30cm high and include 8 characters or objects. PHEW.

Some rose to the challenge and others, er, collapsed under the pressure - literally. Candice impressed with a replica of her parents' pub that revealed them behind the bar and her brother playing on a pool table when the roof was removed.

Who was Star Baker in episode two?

After her fantastic edible gingerbread story there was only one possible winner: It had to be Candice. Her snappable structure was so good that Mary revealed she was "dying" to see what was under the roof and even conceded to "eat some of the carpet" when offered the rare opportunity by Mel!

Who was voted off in episode two?

After her gingerbread story collapsed the lovely Louise was the baker we had to say goodbye to this week. Despite not rating her baking skills this week Mary did credit the Welsh contestant with a heart of gold, saying: "full marks for carrying it all off with a big smile".

The Great British Bake Off Episode 1: What happened?

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood are back in the Bake Off tent with 16 bakers, eager to win the coveted Star Baker title this week! They've had to face three challenges - the Signature Challenge, Technical Challenge and to finish things off, the Showstopper.

The Signature Challenge: Drizzle cakes

MAKE: pimped drizzle cakes

First up, Mary and Paul decided to take it back to a classic and set the bakers the task of getting to grips with a drizzle cake. Now, that might sound easy enough, but knowing this is Paul's favourite cake, the bakers knew it would be a challenge to impress.

There were some wobbly starts, with bakers forgetting to add key ingredients like ground almonds and cinnamon but we also had some fab flavour combinations like gin and tonic and trend ingredients like yuzu used in some of the recipes. Stress levels were high, as always.

The Technical Challenge: Jaffa cakes

For the Technical challenge, a British classic - homemade Jaffa Cake. Yet again, the pressure was on, as the bakers were told this is one of Mary's favourites. The judges were looking for fluffy sponge, juicy, set jelly and cakes oozing with glossy chocolate.

With his upside-down Jaffa Cakes, Andrew came in 12th place, with the ever-cool and composed Selasi coming first. His glossy chocolate won him first place for Jaffa Cakes that 'look like the real thing' according to Mary and Paul.

The Showstopper: Mirror glaze cakes Now this was the real challenge! The bakers were asked to create a mirror glaze cake - a cake made with a soft, fluffy and light genoise sponge and covered in a ganache so shiny 'Paul can look into it and say: 'You're looking gorgeous!' explained Sue. No pressure then..!

It was stressful. Sponges were thrown around the Bake Off tent, tears flowed as ganaches separated and meringue mixtures didn't reach the desired consistency. We held our breath as Mary and Paul judged each of the cakes. And the verdict was...

Who was Star Baker in episode one?

Jane won the judges over with her light genoise sponge and her beautifully glossy cake and was awarded the coveted Star Baker title for the first week of Bake Off.

Who was voted off in episode one?

Poor Lee! His genoise was rubbery and his cake was lacking cream. We couldn't help but feel bad for him, though!

Meet the contestants

Get to know them even better before next week's show. Here's everything you need to know about the 2016 Bake Off contestants...

The Great British Bake Off 2016 contestants

When does The Great British Bake Off 2016 start again?

After all those rumours flying around left, right and centre that the Bake Off might have been being moving to ITV this year or might not even have be happening (don't get us started!) we're glad they put the gossip to rest. The BBC kept GBBO and the brand new series started in August 2016.

However, the start date was delayed due to the Rio 2016 Olympics. The Bake Off usually starts early August, but to avoid clashing with the games it was confirmed that the start date would be Wednesday 24th August at 8pm on BBC One.

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Can you believe that The Great British Bake Off is one of the most watched reality TV shows on BBC? Last year the show had a whopping 15 million viewers, from start to Nadiya's glorious finish. (Did we mention that Nadiya has an exclusive blog with on GoodtoKnow? You'll love it!)

See Nadiya's exclusive blog, recipes and more

Keep up to date with all the latest from the Bake Off 2016 here, including weekly updates on what they're baking throughout the show.

What's happened to our favourite Great British Bake Off 2015 contestants?

Wondering what the lovely Nadiya is up to now? How about Ian, Tamal and Flora? Oh how we miss them so!

Remember Stu? Ah poor Stu was the first person to leave 2015 Bake Off but that hasn't stopped him from his foodie dream. He's been busy filming a new food show The Alternative Kitchen. His Instagram account is definitely worth a nose at: @thealtkitchen

Remember Dorret? Well Dorret has certainly been a busy bee cooking at food festivals demonstrating some of her new recipes as well as helping out at a local school teaching them how to bake - aw!

Remember Paul? Now we all remember that impressive lion bread showstopper Paul pulled off. He's really been pushing his baking skills to the next level and recently made a stunning suitcase cake which looks too real to eat!

Remember Alvin? Family man Alvin has been juggling kids, with his job at the hospital and weekend baking. He's made some crackers recently (you should check out his Twitter page @alvinmagallanes) including a ganache covered chocolate cake...

Remember Marie? Well, she's only gone and opened up her very own patisserie 'Marie's Little Cake Shop' where you can go a learn how decorate cakes and well as scoff on all of her freshly baked pastries!

Psst... Find out what all your favourite Great British Bake Off contestants are up to now!

Are you excited about this year's show? Who's been your favourite Bake Off winner so far? Comment below!SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave