Which soap star is this year’s Star Baker?
Watch: Great British Bake Off challenge (Channel 4)
The Great Christmas Bake Off has crowned its winner for 2024, with Chris Bisson winning the coveted star baker crown.
This year’s festive special was a packed soap star special, seeing EastEnders‘ Dean Gaffney and Natalie Cassidy, Sheree Murphy (of Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Neighbours), Coronation Street‘s Shobna Gulati, and Chris Bisson (both Corrie and Emmerdale) in the famous tent.
The group were tasked with three challenges, the first of which saw them bake a yule log.
This was followed by the Technical Challenge, which required the bakers to make four mini meringue Christmas trees. This was won by Sheree, with Paul describing her creation as “beautifully done”.
The final round – the Showstopper round – saw the bakers tasked with making a biscuit scene depicting their favourite soap moment.
Sheree chose to recreate her Emmerdale character Trisha’s death at the Woolpack. Chris also built the Woolpack, but chose a more happier scene – the villagers carol singing at the pub.
Dean’s biscuit scene showed the moment Robbie’s beloved dog Wellard stole the Christmas turkey, while Natalie opted for a ghosts of Christmas past scene, which included June Brown and Barbara Windsor as angel biscuits.
Finally, Shobna chose to recreate the fire at the corner shop, in which her Corrie character Sunita found herself trapped.
After the three stages, it was up to judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith to decide their winner. After receiving a famous Hollywood handshake from Paul for his showstopper, host Alison Hammond announced that Chris had won the show.
“I won the Bake Off. I can’t believe it,” a chuffed Chris said. “To have everyone here. Friends and family, it’s just really, really lovely.”
Bake Off‘s soap star themed Christmas special isn’t the first of its kind, with previous festive episodes including both Derry Girls and It’s a Sin cast reunions.
A New Year’s Scottish Bake Off special will also follow on January 3 featuring former contestants.
Kevin Flynn (of the 2022 series), Norman Calder (from series five) and James Patrick Morton (runner-up of series three) will take on Lea Harris (the first ever Scottish contestant to appear on the show), Nicky Laceby from series 14, and former winner Peter Sawkins in the tent, where they’ll be baking their signature black buns for a second time.
Leave a Reply