Great British Bake Off 2022 contestants: Meet this year's hopefuls

The Great British Bake Off 2022 contestants have just been confirmed by Channel 4, here is what you need to know about the latest batch of amateur bakers. 

The Great British Bake Off return date has been confirmed by Channel 4 and with less than two weeks to the start of the series, fans are ecstatic! The show is called The Great British Baking Show in America, but it is the same show, and US fans are just as excited to watch this classic baking show this Fall.

Now that the contestants have been confirmed, here is everything you need to know about the twelve bakers of 2022 and how they got into baking. 

Who are the contestants of this year's Great British Bake Off?

Abdul, 29

Abdul is a 29-year-old electronics Engineer from London who first got into baking when he and his colleagues baked for each other so they can enjoy a tasty treat during their daily coffee breaks. 

Abdul is a keen salsa dancer and loves everything about spices. He says that matcha is one of his favorite flavors - so we can expect some matcha-infused green goods from Abdul over the next few weeks!

Carole, 59

Carole is a 59-year-old Supermarket Cashier from Dorset. Carole loves gardening and even has her own gardening radio show, called Compost Carole. Her love of gardening is reflected in colorful bakes which are often decorated with flowers and plants. 

Carole first began baking when she made a first birthday cake for her granddaughter Maisie. This cake began her baking journey and she has since taken to YouTube to learn more about decorating her fruity and colorful bakes.

Dawn, 60

Dawn is a 60-year-old IT Manager from Bedfordshire, the amateur baker has a great eye for detail and has a particular skill when it comes to decorating biscuits with lace patterns. 

Dawn is not afraid of a challenge and loves the difficulty of an illusion cake - particularly if it sounds almost impossible! The baker loves lemon, salted caramel, and anything nutty - so we may see a lot of these ingredients in her bakes over the next few weeks.

James, 25

James is a 25-year-old Nuclear Scientist from Cumbria. The Scottish baker loves to don a kilt from time to time, and grew up in Glasgow. The baker loves the technical side of baking and loves autumnal flavors such as spices, apples, and caramel. Fingers crossed the baker might whip out a pumpkin spice latte-inspired bake!

The scientist loves horror films from the 70s and 80s and says that he enjoys baking spooky cakes which have his signature style of 'child-friendly horror'.

Janusz, 34

Janusz is a Personal Assistant to Head Teacher from East Sussex and first began baking with his mother. His mother always baked on a Saturday, and this was a tradition that the baker continued when he went to university. 

The amateur baker was born in Poland and loves incorporating Polish ingredients into classic British dishes. His favorite flavors are ginger and chocolate and Janusz describes his bakes a 'cartoon-like, colourful and camp'.

Kevin, 33

Kevin is a 33-year-old Music teacher from Lanarkshire. The amateur baker began his baking journey when he was just 17 and loves to use seasonal ingredients in his bakes. 

Kevin loves combining fruits, nuts, herbs, and spices and prefers to focus on his technique rather than presentation. Kevin performs as a saxophonist, but can also play the flute, piano, and clarinet. 

Maisam, 18

Maisam is a Student and Sales Assistant from Greater Manchester. Maisam has been baking for five years since she was 13. The 18-year-old is originally from Libya and loves to incorporate Mediterranean ingredients into her recipes, particularly olives, dates, and sesame seeds.

Maisam is also an amateur photographer and can speak five languages. The amateur baker is ambitious and plans to improve her language abilities and learn seven languages by the time she is 20!

Maxy, 29

Maxy is an Architectural Assistant from London who began baking five years ago after she had her first daughter. The 29-year-old was raised in Sweden and many of her bakes are influenced by her Scandinavian upbringing as she often incorporates flavors such as cinnamon and saffron.

The amateur baker is all about creating beautifully decorated celebration cakes and using her strong artistic skills to help create beautiful baked goods.

Rebs, 23

Rebs is a 23-year-old Masters Student from County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The Irish baker can play the tin whistle and knows how to Irish dance. 

The baker's earliest memory was helping her mum bake in the kitchen and eating her grandmother's lemon meringue pies. The master's student also loves cooking with Middle Eastern ingredients, which is a sweet nod to her boyfriend Jack's Turkish heritage.

Sandro, 30

Sandro is a 30-year-old Nanny from London who first began baking when he was 21 after his father passed and he used cooking as a form of therapy. Sandro fled the Angolan war with his mum when he was two but the baker is proud of his heritage and often bakes with flavors inspired by his Angolan background, such as paprika paired with cheese, and sweet treats covered in dulce de leche.

The nanny is a keen boxer and has a background in ballet and breakdancing. He also teaches children with autism how to bake in his online virtual baking classes. 

Syabira, 32

Syabira is a 32-year-old Cardiovascular Research Associate from London. The baker started baking five years ago when she made a red velvet cake which reminded her of the treats she would enjoy with her friends in Malaysia. 

The Malaysian baker likes to add Malaysian twists to British classics and is a particular fan of chicken rendang cornish pasties. 

Will, 45

Will is a 45-year-old Former Charity Director from London. The amateur baker began baking when he was just two years old when his mother would let him help her turn pastry trimmings into jam tarts. 

The baker loves paprika and salted caramel, he also loves cooking with yeast in his bakes (and not just when it comes to bread!). Will is a DIY and carpentry enthusiast and has a background in architecture. Can we expect him to put into practice these DIY skills when it comes to some of the bakes in the tent?

The Great British Bake Off starts on Tuesday, September 13 on Channel 4 at 8pm.