These are Great British Bake Off's most successful contestants but where are they now?

Great British Bake Off's biggest success stories might make you want to start baking!

Great British Bake Off
(Image credit: Channel 4)

When the Great British Bake Off first hit our screens in 2010, many of us were enthralled by the amateur baking show, here's how some of our favorite bakers have faired after leaving the tent.

The Great British Bake Off 2021 launched on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, and once again, the nation is obsessed with the incredible amateur baking competition.

While we are already falling in love with the Great British Bake Off 2021 contestants, we can't help but wonder what happened to some of our fan favorites from previous seasons of the show.  

Here is a list of some of the most successful contestants to have participated in the show and what they got up to after leaving the famous white tent...


You may also like...

<a href="https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/who-left-great-british-bake-off-tonight-and-who-won-star-baker/" data-link-merchant="womanandhome.com"">Who left The Great British Bake Off last night and who won star baker?

1.Nadiya Hussein (2015)

Nadiya Hussein

(Image credit: JOHN STILLWELL / Staff / |Getty)

Pictured here cutting a cake with the Queen of England, Nadiya Hussain is by far one of the most successful bakers in all of Bake Off history. 

Since leaving the show, Nadiya has released a total of seven different cookbooks. Three of her cookbooks, Nadiya’s Kitchen (2016), Nadiya’s Family Favourites (2018), and Time to Eat (2019) all reached bestseller status.

Alongside her cookbooks, Nadiya has also remained a constant fixture on our TV screens. The chef is now a TV personality and has appeared on more than one hundred television shows. She has also written her own newspaper columns and hosted the show, 'The Chronicles of Nadiya.'

Following her enormous success, the young mum has become a Muslim role model in the UK. Nadiya says she'll never stop smashing stereotypes and continues to be a role model to Muslim women in the UK.

2. Candice Brown (2016)

Candice Brown

(Image credit: Eamonn M. McCormack / Stringer / Getty Images)

Chas had enormous success since. Candice became a columnist for The Times and also released a comfort food cookbook titled, 'Comfort: Delicious Bakes and Family Treats'. when Mary Berry said she would 'remember forever' Candice's gingerbread pub that featured a 'sticky ginger carpet.'

Candice has had enormous success since leaving the tent. She became a columnist for The Times and also released a comfort food cookbook titled, 'Comfort: Delicious Bakes and Family Treats'.

The GBBO champ has also remained a television personality and has appeared on numerous shows since winning Bake Off. The star has appeared on Dancing on Ice, The Great New Year's Bake Off, and Celebrity Mastermind.

3. John Whaite (2012)

John Whaite Strictly 2021

(Image credit: BBC)

John Whaite is currently on our screens as one of the celebrity participants in the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 lineup. He has also made history as the celebrity contestant to compete in a same-sex couple in Strictly Come Dancing. The star is even  a front runner to win the competition as his Strictly Pirates of the Caribbean performance slashed the odds of 2021's champ.

John won the third series of GBBO, back in 2012 aged only 23, and has had huge success since leaving the tent. Since 2012, John has appeared as a resident chef on ITV’s Lorraine and Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4. He has also made appearances on other breakfast shows and remains a big TV personality.

John has also released five cookbooks since 2012. His top sellers include John Whaite Bakes, John Whaite Bakes At Home, and Perfect Plates In Five Ingredients. John also runs his own cookery school named John Whaite’s Kitchen.

4. Edd Kimber (2010)

Edd Kimber

(Image credit: Mike Marsland / Contributor / Getty Images)

Edd Kimber was the show's first-ever winner in 2010. In the last 11 years, Ed has released four cookbooks. His books are titled: 'Say It With Cake', 'The Boy Who Bakes', 'Patisserie Made Simple' and 'One Tin Bakes'.

Edd was the resident baker on The Alan Titchmarsh Show and also worked in the pastry kitchen of Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir restaurant.

5. Liam Charles (2017)

Despite coming fifth in GBBO, Liam Charles was a huge fan favourite because of his daring bakes and his cheeky chappy persona. 

Liam went on to work as a presenter on Bake Off: The Professionals, and later as a judge on the Junior Bake Off.

Liam writes a column on baking for The Guardian and has also published two books. His cookbooks are titled 'Cheeky Treats: 70 Brilliant Bakes and Cakes', which was released in 2018, and 'Second Helpings', which was released in 2019.

6. Kim-Joy Hewlett (2018)

Kim Joy Hewlett

(Image credit: Tristan Fewings / Stringer /Getty Images)

Kim Joy was another fan favorite who delighted the judges with her Asian-inspired, adorable bakes. Every week the baker presented her show-stopping talent with her minute designs and neatly crafted decorations.

The baker has regularly written baking articles for The Guardian and has also published a cookbook called Baking with Kim-Joy: Cute and Creative Bakes To Make You Smile!

7. Ruby Tandoh (2013)

Ruby Tandoh was the runner-up for the fourth series of GBBO in 2013. Following the series, Ruby has become a prominent chef and author and released four cookbooks.

Her cookbooks are titled, 'Crumb' (2014), 'Flavour' (2016), 'Eat Up' (2018), and 'Breaking Eggs' (2021). 

Ruby is also now a food writer and has written for outlets such as The New Yorker, Guardian, Taste, Vittles, and Vice. 

8. Frances Quinn (2013)

Frances Quinn won the fourth season of the Great British Bake Off in 2013. Since then, the baker has released a cookbook, 'Quintessential Baking', which teaches readers how to cook classic dishes.

Frances is reportedly an ambassador of the Cream Tea Society and has also appeared on radio and television shows including Pointless Celebrities. 

The baker also set a world record in 2017 for creating the largest Jaffa cake ever—delicious!

9. Nancy Birtwhistle (2014)

Nancy Birtwhistle was the winner of the Great British Bake Off in 2014. Since her triumphant win, Nancy has gone on to release a cookbook in 2019 titled, 'Sizzle & Drizzle: Tips for a Modern Day Home-maker'.

The star now has her own website where she shares her recipes. Nancy also gives baking demonstrations across the UK and has contributed to outlets such as The Telegraph. 

10. David Atherton (2019)

David Atherton

(Image credit: Mike Marsland / Contributor/ Getty Images)

Despite originally being a reserve for the show, a baker pulled out of the competition and David Atherton stepped in and won the 10th season of the Great British Bake Off.

Following his win in 2019, David has released a children's cookbook titled 'My First Cookbook'. The book was released in August 2020 and taught readers how to get into cooking and how to teach children to be excited about baking with fun recipes.

The baker has written a cookery column for The Guardian in 2020  and has focused much of his work on healthy food and fitness.

Laura Harman

Laura is a news writer for woman&home who primarily covers entertainment and celebrity news. Laura dabbles in lifestyle, royal, beauty, and fashion news, and loves to cover anything and everything to do with television and film. She is also passionate about feminism and equality and loves writing about gender issues and feminist literature.


Laura loves drinking and eating and can often be found trying to get reservations at London's trendiest restaurants. When she's not wining and dining, Laura can also be found travelling, baking, and hiking with her dog.