The baking continues this week on The Great British Bake Off , with only five bakers left in the running to win this year's show.
Season 16 kicked off on Tuesday 2nd October, with 12 aspiring bakers stepping into the famous tent with the hopes of impressing Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. From Cake Week to Biscuit Week and more, the contestants tackled various baking challenges, including a blind technical. Now, just two weeks away from the final, the pressure is well and truly on!
So, who's still baking? And who crumbled under pressure and is no longer taking part?
Read on for everything you need to know about this year's cast, including who is still in the competition and all the bakers who've left the tent.
The Great British Bake Off 2025 confirmed cast
In alphabetical order, here's this year's confirmed GBBO cast:
- Aaron
- Hassan - Eliminated in week 1
- Iain
- Jasmine
- Jessika - Eliminated in week 4
- Leighton - Eliminated in week 2
- Lesley - Eliminated in week 7
- Nadia - Eliminated in week 5
- Nataliia - Eliminated in week 6
- Pui Man - Eliminated in week 3
- Toby
- Tom
Keep scrolling for more on the cast - including who's already been eliminated.
Aaron
Age: 38
Job: Senior Systems Architect
Location: London
Instagram: buymeanicecream
What has Aaron said about being on GBBO? Aaron is keen to show off his knowledge of baking and flavours, but admitted his biggest weakness is "second-guessing", especially when he doesn't "have time" to re-do a bake.
What's Aaron's baking style? Aaron is a passionate baker who typically fuses French patisserie with Caribbean flair in single-portion bakes. More recently, he's been experimenting with Asian flavours, like miso and yuzu.
Our verdict: Aaron's patisserie skills will come in handy when it comes to the dedicated week. Patisserie Week usually takes place in season 7, so providing he stays in the show we could be in for a treat.
Iain
Age: 29
Job: Software Engineer
Location: Belfast
Instagram: thug.loaf
What has Iain said about being on GBBO? While eager to re-write the 'Iain from Belfast' legacy on GBBO, he initially thought his success at getting on the show was a prank. "I got a call a few minutes after being told, and I thought they were going to tell me they made a mistake and I wasn't actually on the show!" he said. "I was in the office at work and had to go out to the foyer to take the call and speak in code. Everyone who was walking past, heading to the toilet, looked very concerned and confused."
What's Iain's baking style? A self-proclaimed 'Yeastie Boy', Iain mixes his love of live music with sourdough – embellishing album cover art on the crusts of his loaves. When he's not busy immortalising his favourite music, he blends classic flavours with a creative twist, using fermented fruits and vegetables, pickles, and cultures.
Our verdict: Despite a wobble in the first Technical, he impressed with his Showstopper landscape cake, so things are looking good for Iain. Bread week usually takes place in week 3, which could be his strong point. But will it be enough to get him to the final?
Jasmine - Most likely to win
Age: 23
Job: Medical Student
Location: London, originally from Edinburgh
Instagram: jasmine.mitchell
What has Jasmine said about being on GBBO? Jasmine applied to this year's GBBO on a "complete whim" so couldn't believe her luck at getting on. "It felt so bonkers and surreal and almost ridiculous that it was actually happening," she told Channel 4. "I was on a train in London, I had to talk in complete code because there was a granny sitting opposite me who I am almost 100 per cent sure was a Bake Off watcher."
What's Jasmine's baking style? Inspired by the basics of bread and cake baking she learnt from her family as a child in the Scottish Highlands, Jasmine likes nothing better than using fresh, seasonal ingredients to create classic flavour combinations.
Our verdict: A three-time Star Baker winner so far, we could see Jasmine rising right to the top and winning the series.
Toby
Age: 29
Job: Business Development Executive
Location: Warwickshire
Instagram: tjstable
What has Toby said about being on GBBO? Toby described his first day on GBBO as "some sort of strange fever dream". He went on: "I can remember looking around the tent, trying to read the other bakers to see if they could have been feeling as nervous as me. I think my most prominent feeling was what I can only describe as nervous excitement."
What's Toby's baking style? Toby takes a stripped-back, healthy approach to baking. He believes classics are classic for a reason, which is why he often leans towards traditional recipes and flavours – especially when it comes to bread, which is his passion.
Our verdict: Toby failed to impress in the first Showstopper despite winning the Technical challenge, so he'll have to watch out for next week.
Tom
Age: 31
Job: Creative Entrepreneur
Location: London
Instagram: tommllette
What has Tom said about being on GBBO? Speaking to Channel 4 about his strengths and weaknesses going into GBBO, Tom revealed: "I think my strength is that I have less traditional baking experience so I come up with some ideas that seem pretty random but when done well (which is clearly not all the time), people seem to really like the concepts and flavours."
What's Tom's baking style? Tom grew up learning to bake scones and flapjacks alongside his mum and Danish granny, and brings that inspiration into his current bakes, which are filled with creative flair and finished beautifully.
Our verdict: Tom struggled in the Technical in Cake Week, however, managed to turn things around for his Showstopper. And he really pulled it out the bag in Biscuit Week, bagging the first Hollywood handshake of the season and winning Star Baker. Tom could be the one to watch this year...
Who has left The Great British Bake Off 2025?
Lesley - Week 7
Age: 59
Job: Hairdresser
Location: Kent
Instagram:lesley_anne_bakes
What has Lesley said about being on GBBO? Speaking about the moment she first walked into the iconic tent, Lesley recalled having "a big cheesy smile" on her face. "I was still in disbelief that I was there; it felt like I was in a dream, and I would wake up at any moment."
What's Lesley's baking style? With over 40 years of baking behind her, Lesley channels everything she learnt from her nanny Mabel and auntie Joan. For her, baking is all about comfort, creativity, and making people smile.
Nataliia - Week 6
Age: 32
Job: Office Assistant
Location: East Yorkshire, born in Ukraine
Instagram: nataliia_richardson
What has Nataliia said about being on GBBO? Nataliia's husband surprised her by signing her up to the show, so getting on was an even bigger shock in comparison to the other contestants. "When he told me that the Bake Off team wanted to speak to me, I was – to put it mildly – shocked. We were at home, and it was the most unexpected phone call," she said, adding that her first time walking into the tent was "unbelievable".
What's Nataliia's baking style? Nataliia was taught to bake by her grandmother, following traditional recipes that have been handed down through the generations. She continues to use these recipes now, infusing classic British bakes with flavours inspired by her roots, such as honey, poppy seeds, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Nadia - Week 5
Age: 41
Job: Hairdresser
Location: Liverpool
Instagram: dolcevita.nadia
What has Nadia said about being on GBBO? "Never in a million years did I think I would get on The Great British Bake Off!!" she said. "So when I found out that I had actually got on the show, I was actually working in my salon, and then I had to act normal for the rest of the appointment – I had to hold my scream in!"
What's Nadia's baking style? Blending Indian and Italian flavours with her Scouse spirit, Nadia brings rustic charm and soulful flavours to everything she stirs up, including novelty cakes and homemade pasta
Jessika - Week 4
Age: 32
Job: Service Designer
Location: London, raised in Cornwall
Instagram: jesssssikka
What has Jessika said about being on GBBO? Upon finding out she'd got a place on the show, Jessika admitted she did "a little scream, then a bigger scream, and then a goofy dance". She went on: "I was alone at my friend's house when I got the call, so it was just me on my own, flapping about!"
What's Jessika's baking style? When she's not busy being a roller-skating Drag King, Jessika is in the kitchen fusing daring flavours like salted mango caramel and cardamom, or Jerusalem artichoke caramel with a dark chocolate mousse.
Pui Man - Week 3
Age: 51
Job: Bridal Designer
Location: Essex, born in Hong Kong
Instagram: puimanlipuimanli
What has Pui Man said about being on GBBO? Being a perfectionist, Pui Man revealed she's spent plenty of time prepping for this season and is confident she's "good at everything" that she's practised. As for getting onto the series, it seems like it was written in the stars for Pui Man. "I dreamed about myself in the tent all the time and I dreamed about meeting some ex-bakers all the time," she told Channel 4. "I was at home when I got the phone call from one of the team, and I was shocked because I had applied four times and no success in the past."
What's Pui Man's baking style? Pui Man rediscovered her passion for baking during the COVID-19 lockdown and brings the attention to detail of designing a wedding dress to each of her bakes, which are as beautiful as they are bold. Her pursuit of perfection in everything she bakes – and her years-long dedication to appear on the show – makes us think she's a very strong contender for the Bake Off win this year!
Leighton - Week 2
Age: 59
Job: Software Delivery Manager
Location: Surrey, originally from Swansea
Instagram: leightonthebaker
What has Leighton said about being on GBBO? Leighton was "grinning like a Cheshire cat" when he found out about his place on this year's series. "To be inside that tent, baking where so many others had baked before… it was a moment I'll never forget. My family in Wales and the USA are so very proud of me because we're all obsessed with the Bake Off."
What's Leighton's baking style? Inspired by his homeland, and his Californian husband, Leighton likes to play with traditional Welsh and American flavours. His favourite bakes are Welsh cakes with peanut butter and Victoria sponge with key lime pie filling.
After coming 10th in the Technical, which saw the bakers making classic chocolate Hobnobs, and failing to impress with his biscuit time capsule, the judges revealed that Leighton would be the second baker going home.
Hassan - Week 1
Age: 30
Job: Analytical Research & Development Scientist
Location: South Yorkshire
Instagram: madeby.hassan
What has Hassan said about being on GBBO? While Hassan is confident when it comes to flavours, he's worried about aesthetics. "I usually tend to go for a minimalist approach when decorating, so anything intricately decorative that requires a lot of finesse is way out of my comfort zone," he told Channel 4.
What's Hassan's baking style? With his background in science, Hassan takes an analytical approach to baking, thoroughly researching processes before getting started on a new recipe. He also loves to bring his Pakistani heritage into his baking, with a love for sweet treats like praline and nut-based flavours that echo traditional Asian sweets.
Hassan was the first contestant to leave Bake Off.
"I think I am a bit upset, but I did expect it. Everyone is such a phenomenal baker, they are all such lovely people. And even though it’s been a short-lived experience I have enjoyed it. Hopefully I can reflect on some things and then maybe get back to baking when I get a chance," he said upon his exit.
Tune in to watch The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 on Tuesdays at 8pm.
