The Great British Bake Off: 10 Iconic Quotes From Popular Bakers

The Great British Bake Off has been testing the culinary skills of Britain’s amateur bakers for over a decade and it continues to produce some of the most interesting and likable characters on TV. From the early season winners to the iconic figures of the recent series, the show’s amazing personalities are why it is one of the best British reality shows on Netflix.

These bakers may not always have been winners, but what they have in common is their popularity with their audiences and their ability to capture the essence of the show and themselves in just a sentence or two.

Peter Sawkins

“There’s No Point Not Being Happy At This Point, So Let’s Stay Happy”

The youngest winner of the Great British Bake Off when he took home the trophy in 2020, Edinburgh-born Peter won over audiences too with his bright, optimistic manner even when tensions became high. In one of the highlights of his path to winning the competition, Peter revealed how he managed to keep calm even as the clock ticked closer to the moment of truth.

The moment also gives an insight into Peter’s maturity despite being one of the youngest bakers there, recognizing that there was no point worrying about the outcome when there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

Nadiya Hussain

“Oh My God! What Have I Done?”

Though she generally kept her composure in the face of the high stress in the Bake Off tent, Season 6’s Nadiya had some humanizing moments that made her relatable as well as incredibly likable. She also had a keen sense of humor and incredible baking skills that helped her become the best Great British Bake Off contestant so far.

In just four and a half hours, Nadiya ambitiously attempted to create a levitating soda pop cake, with a ton of details that most bakers wouldn’t even have thought of. When listing everything she still had left to do, Nadiya was struck by the realization of the monumental task she had ahead of her, that she had given herself. Of course, despite her moment of panic, she managed to deliver in style.

Glenn Cosby

“I Said I Wouldn’t Be One Of Those Lunatics Kneeling On The Floor By The Oven… And Here I Am”

In a sentence, season 4’s Glenn managed to sum up the absurdity of the baking show as well as showcasing the dry wit that is synonymous with the show and himself. Whilst it is easy to get dragged into the drama and tension of the Great British Bake Off, moments of self-awareness like Glenn’s are also a part of what makes the show great.

Whilst Glenn didn’t manage to make it too far in the competition, his sense of humor and down-to-earth style made him a memorable baker for a lot of people.

David Atherton

“I Was Always The Underdog, Just Managing To Get Through. Getting To The Final Was A Win For Me”

The winner of the 2019 edition of the series, David Atherton’s path to the final truly was an underdog story. David was never able to win Star Baker a single time before winning the whole competition in the final. David remained humble and, as his words just after winning showed, even he couldn’t quite believe that he’d managed it.

David’s victory in the tenth season highlighted how important character was in the show. The audience appreciated his perseverance and he became popular among viewers as a result of his will to keep improving. David’s top-class performance in the final was the climax of his amazing story.

Rahul Mandal

“When He First Invited Me To The Table, I Thought Maybe I Had Left Something Stupidly Onside The Cake.”

Though it may seem odd for someone not familiar with the show, Paul Hollywood offering a handshake to bakers who have truly impressed him with a bake is very important to some. One of these bakers was series 9 winner Rahul, who couldn’t even believe that that’s what he was being offered when Paul Hollywood gestured for him to step forward.

Rahul was convinced that if Paul was calling for him, it meant that he wanted to show him something he’d left inside the cake, and he was ready to be embarrassed. Rahul’s humility and subsequent delight at realizing the real reason he was being invited over cemented his place in viewers’ hearts.

Candice Brown

“That Means More To Me Than I Think Anyone Will Ever Realize”

Candice remains one of the most popular contestants to feature on Bake Off and her words after realizing that she’d won the 2016 series of the competition are still some of the most striking. It is easy to forget that the bakers have dedicated months of their lives to the competition if they reach the final, and that can take a toll.

In the end, though, Candice became an emblem of the fact that hard work does pay off in the show, winning in style. Her emotion after taking the trophy home was a memorable moment of catharsis after the amount of work she’d put into the baking competition.

Nancy Birtwhistle

“He Said It’s A Dangerous Thing To Do… Not For Me”

Whilst the Great British Bake Off has its fair share of sincere and emotional moments, the show is also defined by the light-hearted moments that make viewers feel closer to some of its most popular bakers. In season 5, a lot of these moments came from Nancy, whose sense of humor and charm helped her become a fan favorite.

Another thing viewers and the judges admired about her was her willingness to take risks, including using a microwave to attempt to prove her dough faster, something the judges hadn’t ever seen before. After they warned her of the riskiness of her plan, Nancy laughed it off and showed that she didn’t mind taking a risk or two. It may have seemed dangerous to Paul Hollywood, but Nancy held no such fears.

Selasi Gbormittah

“Can I Bribe You To Buy Us Some Time… I’ll Bribe You In Pie”

Though Selasi was knocked out in the semi-final, he remains one of the most memorable characters from season 7. Selasi was well-liked by viewers and in the tent, where he was often cracking jokes and making the others smile even during tense moments. One of these came during a challenge with a particular tight timer.

Whilst others panicked and walked around looking for ways to distract themselves, Selasi took Mel aside and jokingly tried to secure some extra time to complete the challenge. A testament to his kindness, Selasi bribed her to give them all extra time rather than just himself. Sadly, though Mel said she was tempted, she was unable to accept his offer.

John Whaite

“If I Let Last Week Fester Away Inside Of Me Then I’m Gonna Fail, But I Just Need To Get Over It”

Though John Whaite went on to win the very first season of the Great British Bake Off, he got off to a rocky start. In fact, John’s offering in the technical challenge of the first episode of the show was one of the worst recipes ever seen on Bake Off. John winning the competition was an underdog story, and he summed it up best in this quote.

Though he could easily have let his failures and frustrations get to him, John refused to do so. John was as good as his word and shook off the issues that plagued him in the early episodes, going on to become an extremely skilled baker in his own right.

Liam Charles

“I’m Gonna Give Myself A Challenge… If It Works, It Works”

Though he only came fifth in the competition, Liam was such an iconic character in the 2017 edition of the show that he went on to co-present Bake Off: The Professionals and even secured his baking show in 2018. Though he may not have had the talent of other bakers, Liam certainly had charm and a great attitude that made him one of the most popular contestants.

As his words suggested, Liam was always willing to take on a challenge and take risks and, whilst they didn’t always pay off, were a part of the reason why he became so well-liked by viewers.