The ninth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 28 August 2018, with this being the second series to be broadcast on Channel 4. The series is presented by Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, with judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. This series saw a few changes to the usual format: the first episode being Biscuit Week (the previous 8 series began with a Cake Week), the documentary inserts were dropped, and the finale included the competitors doing a technical challenge outside the tent for the first time.
The series was won by Rahul Mandal, with Kim-Joy and Ruby Bhogal as the runners-up.
Bakers ContestantAgeHometownOccupationFinishPlace Imelda McCarron 33 County Tyrone, Northern IrelandCountryside recreation officer Episode 112th Luke Thompson 30 Sheffield, England Civil servant/house and techno DJ Episode 211th Antony Amourdoux 30 London, England Banker Episode 310th Karen Wright 60 Wakefield, England In-store sampling assistant Episode 58th (tie) Terry Hartill 56 West Midlands, England Retired air steward Dan Beasley-Harling 36 London, England Stay at home parent Episode 67th Jon Jenkins 47 Newport, Wales Blood courier Episode 76th Manon Lagrève 26 London, England Software project manager Episode 85th Briony Williams 33 Bristol, England Stay at home parent Episode 94th Kim-Joy Hewlett 27 Leeds, England Mental health specialist Runner-up Ruby Bhogal 29 London, England Project manager Rahul Mandal 30 Rotherham, England Research scientist 1st
Results summary + Elimination chart Baker 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rahul SAFESBSB LOW LOWWINNER SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFESB SAFESB LOW Ruby LOW SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE LOWSBSB Briony LOW LOW LOW LOWSB SAFE OUT ManonSB SAFE SAFE SAFE LOW SAFEOUT Jon SAFE SAFE LOW SAFEOUT Dan SAFE SB SAFEOUT Karen SAFE SAFE SAFE LOWOUT Terry LOW LOW SAFEN/A OUT Antony SAFE SAFEOUT Luke SAFEOUT ImeldaOUT Terry was ill and unable to compete in episode 4, but the bakers agreed he should return to the competition the following week. At the end of episode 4, the judges decided it was unfair to eliminate anyone in Terry's absence. Consequently, two bakers were eliminated the following week.
Colour key:
Episodes Colour key:
Episode 1: Biscuits Breaking with tradition, this year the series kicked off with biscuit week. For the first challenge of the series, the bakers were tasked to bake 24 regional biscuits that needed to be all identical, and said something about them and a place in the British Isles, in 2 hours. For the first technical challenge of this series, they are tasked to make one of Paul Hollywood's childhood favourites - Wagon Wheels, in hours. Finally, for the showstopper, the bakers had to create a spectacular 3D biscuit self-portrait that needed to be constructed with layers of biscuits and judged while placed upright on an easel stand, all in 4 hours. Baker Signature(24 Regional Biscuits) Technical(8 Wagon Wheels) Showstopper(3D Biscuit Self-Portrait) Result Antony Turmeric and Caraway Goosnargh Cakes 12th "Kilimanjaro Selfie" Briony Apple Cider Empire Biscuits 2nd "Bristol Biscuit Selfie" Dan Lemon and Strawberry Shrewsburys 4th "New Dad in Palm Springs" Imelda Cherry and White Chocolate Oatmeal Biscuits 11th "Seaside Selfie" Jon Aberffraw 'Creams' 5th "A Sailing Selfie by the Sea" Karen Yorkshire Perkins 6th Rosewater and Cardamom "Holiday Selfie" Kim-Joy Orange Blossom York Biscuits 10th "Me at Miyajima Shrine" Luke Yorkshire Gingernuts 8th "What Happens In Vegas...!" Manon Hazelnut Cornish Shortbread 3rd Matcha and White Chocolate Ganache Japanese Selfie Rahul Fennel and Coconut Pitcaithly Bannock 7th "First Spring in the UK" Ruby Masala Chai Devon Flats 1st "Gingerbread Marathon Selfie" Terry Lake District Ginger Shortbread 9th "Brandy Snap Selfie"
Episode 2: Cakes For their signature bakes, the bakers were required to create a traybake sliced into 16 identical pieces in 2 hours. The technical challenge was set by Prue, which featured a cake with an unusual ingredient: Le Gâteau Vert, one of French painter Claude Monet's favourite birthday treats, in hours. The cake featured a pistachio genoise sponge sandwiched by a pistachio crème au beurre and covered by a green fondant coloured by spinach. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to create a technically demanding chocolate collar cake, featuring at least two tiers, in 4 hours. Baker Signature(16 Traybakes) Technical(Le Gâteau Vert) Showstopper(Chocolate Collar Cake) Result Antony Cardamom and Coconut Burfi Traybake 9th Pistachio, Saffron and Rose Cake Briony Turron and Orange Traybake 5th Chocolate Fudge and Salted Caramel Creation Dan 3rd Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Birthday Cake Jon Lemon Meringue Traybake 1st Hawaiian Shirt Pina Colada Cake Karen Almond and Marzipan Traybake with Rhubarb Jam 11th Strawberry Fayre Chocolate Cake Kim-Joy Pandan Chiffon Cake with Palm Sugar Cream 4th Yuzu and Raspberry Genoise Cat Cake Luke Lemon and Poppy Seed Traybake 7th Raspberry and White Chocolate Collar Cake Manon Rosemary and Honey Traybake 6th Almond Princess Cake Rahul Lemon and Cardamom Traybake 2nd Ruby Boozy Black Forest Traybake 10th Terry Rum and Raisin Traybake 8th Champagne and Strawberries Eiffel Tower Collar Cake
Episode 3: Bread For their signature bakes, the bakers had 3 hours to create a British classic, 12 chelsea buns. In the technical challenge, the bakers, using Paul Hollywood's recipe, were tasked to make a batch of 8 grilled non-yeasted garlic naans, brushed with garlic ghee and topped with coriander, in 1 hour. For their showstopper, the bakers were asked to create a three-tiered Korovai to be elaborately decorated for a celebratory occasion, in 5 hours. Most of the bakers chose the traditional wedding theme. Baker Signature(12 Chelsea Buns) Technical(8 Non-Yeasted Garlic Naan) Showstopper(Korovai) Result Antony Decadent Breakfast Chelsea Buns 8th Chocolate and Orange Adventure Korovai Briony Balsamic Strawberry Chelsea Buns 9th Happily Ever After Korovai Dan 6th Wedding Korovai Jon Cardiff City vs Chelsea Buns 2nd Korovai Dydd Dewi Sant Karen Peak District Christmas Chelsea Buns 5th French Breakfast Wedding Korovai Kim-Joy Pistachio and Cardamom Tangzhong Chelsea Buns 10th Orange, Cinnamon and Cranberry 'Kit-ovai' Manon Apricot, Cranberry and Marzipan Chai Chelsea Buns 3rd Fabergé Inspired Traditional Korovai Rahul Mango and Cranberry Chelsea Buns 4th Garden Wedding Korovai Ruby Gujarela Chelsea Buns with Dates, Almonds and Raisins 7th Mama and Papa's Belated Wedding Korovai Terry Tangy Citrus Sticky Chelsea Buns 1st Garden Korovai
Episode 4: Desserts At the start of this episode, it was announced that Terry was not able to compete this week due to illness. But, with the agreement of all, he would be allowed to come back to the competition the following week. For their signature bakes, the bakers were required to create a meringue roulade in 1 hour and 45 minutes. For their technical challenge, using Prue's recipe, the bakers were tasked to produce a raspberry blancmange served with 12 langues de chat biscuits in hours. For their showstoppers, the bakers were tasked to create a spectacular melting chocolate ball dessert, which is a chocolate sphere that would be melted away with a hot sauce, revealing the dessert hidden inside, in 3 hours. After the three challenges, Briony and Karen were left as the bottom two. However, nobody was eliminated this week, as the judges deemed it would be unfair to send anyone home with Terry's absence. However, this meant two bakers would be eliminated the following week. Baker Signature(Meringue Roulade) Technical(Raspberry Blancmange with 12 Langues du Chat) Showstopper(Melting Chocolate Ball Dessert) Result Briony Treacle Tart Roulade 5th Blood Orange & Amaretto Sticky Toffee Sphere Dan 1st Dan and the Giant Peach Jon 3rd Lucy and Hannah's Ballet Cake Karen Coffee Cream and Praline Roulade 7th Chateau Du Chambord Framboise Kim-Joy 'Sweet Dreams' Roulade 6th Melting Chocolate Galaxy Manon Amarene and Kirsch Cherry Roulade 8th White Chocolate Renaissance Surprise Rahul Rhubarb and Custard Roulade 4th Opera Cake with Kalash Inspired Dome Ruby Pina Colada Roulade 2nd Chocolate Egg Terry colspan="3"
Episode 5: Spice For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked to bake a ginger cake in 2 hours. For the technical challenge, using Paul Hollywood's recipe, the bakers must create a batch of 12 ma'amoul, an ancient pastry from the Middle East that none of the bakers had heard of, in hours. In the batch, 6 of the ma'amoul must be filled with walnuts and shaped with a mould, and the other 6 must be filled with a date paste and decorated by pinching the dough with ma'amoul tongs. For their showstoppers, the bakers were tasked to create a beautiful, gravity-defying spiced biscuit chandelier to be done in 4 hours. Prue was unwell during the showstoppers round, and as a result, Paul was left as the solo judge. Baker Signature(Ginger Cake) Technical(12 Ma'amoul) Showstopper(Spiced Biscuit Chandelier) Result Briony Honey and Apricot Ginger Cake 6th Turmeric Latte Chandelier Dan Ginger and Lemon Drip Cake 2nd Birthday Kaleidoscope for Constance Jon Family Christmas Ginger Cake 7th Birthday Chandelier for Emily's 21st Karen Bonfire Night Ginger Cake 9th Pontefract Girls' School Reunion Kim-Joy 4th Christmas Spiced Ice Chandelier Manon 5th Art Deco Spiced Biscuit Chandelier Rahul 3rd Durga Puja Cardamom Chandelier Ruby Jamaican Me Crazy Ginger Cake 1st Peacock Chandelier Terry Caramelised Pear and Stem Ginger Cake 8th 12 Days of Christmas Chandelier
Episode 6: Pastry For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked to make 12 samosas—6 savoury, 6 sweet—in 2 hours. The samosas must also be served with a dip to complement them. The technical challenge was set by Prue Leith, and the bakers were required to make 6 puits d'amour, meaning "well of love", in 2 hours. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were tasked to create a shaped banquet pie that would be beautifully decorated enough to act as a centrepiece at a Tudor banquet in hours. Baker Signature(12 Samosas) Technical(6 Puits D'amour) Showstopper(Shaped Banquet Pie) Result Briony Home Comforts 1st "Down the Rabbit Hole" Banquet Pie Dan Festive Samosas 6th Salmon Coulibiac Jon A Romantic Dinner For Two, Samosa Style 2nd Welsh Dragon Pie Kim-Joy Flavours of India 5th Silke the Vegetarian Mermaid Manon Samosas for Mum 4th "What Has Poppy Eaten?" Rahul 3rd Butterfly Pie Ruby 7th Kohinoor Crown
Episode 7: Vegan The remaining 6 bakers were required, in the signature challenge, to make 8 savoury vegan tartlets of 2 different fillings using shortcrust pastry that contained no butter or eggs in 2 hours. For the technical challenge, using Prue Leith's recipe, the bakers were tasked to make a vegan tropical fruit pavlova using aquafaba in place of egg whites to create the meringue in hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were tasked to create a beautiful vegan celebratory cake in 4 hours. Baker Signature(8 Savoury Vegan Tartlets) Technical(Vegan Tropical Fruit Pavlova) Showstopper(Vegan Celebratory Cake) Result Briony French Onion TartletsCeleriac & Apple Tartlets 5th Hazelnut Mocha Cake Jon Garlic Mushroom TartletsFalafel & Hummus Tartlets 4th Only Fools Eat Horses Cake Kim-Joy 6th Lavender & Lemon Fox Cake Manon Summer & Winter Tartlets 2nd Spiced Apple Cake Rahul Coriander Posto & Veg TartletsGhugni Chaat Tartlets 1st Chocolate & Coconut Layer Cake with Raspberry Jam Ruby Sage & Butternut Tartlets'Cheesy Greens' Tartlets 3rd Chocolate, Lemon & Coconut Cake
Episode 8: Danish (Quarterfinals)