The Great British Bake Off 2026 confirms release date as season 17 cast are revealed

The Great British Bake Off has unveiled the 12 amateur bakers taking part in the new series, and it won't be long before fans can tune in on Channel 4 as the cosy series returns in a matter of weeks. The fresh batch of home bakers range from 21 to 67 and includes a paediatric doctor, a drag king, a law student and a retired garment technologist, all hoping to be crowned the show's next champion. As they enter the tent for the first time, as will Nigella Lawson, who joins as judge. Lawson replaces Prue Leith, who announced in January that she was stepping down after telling The Guardian: "I'm 86 for goodness sake!". Lawson joins returning judge Paul Hollywood, while Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding continue as hosts. And fans can get in on all the action on Monday 22 September at 8pm on Channel 4! Among the cast members this year is Moyin, a 22-year-old political economy student from Essex and competitive sprinter who was crowned U20 County Champion in the 100m, and whose bakes draw on his Nigerian heritage with flavours such as grains of paradise and groundnuts. Mo, a 21-year-old law student from the West Midlands, is the youngest in the tent, having first fallen for baking at three years old while pretending to cook with Play-Doh. He is joined by Yannis, a 28-year-old paediatric doctor from London who says he is "challenging the stigma that Bangladeshi men don't belong in the kitchen, one pastry at a time" and who credits watching Bake Off with helping him learn English. The full line-up is as follows: This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes. The rest of the line-up comes with backstories every bit as colourful as their bakes. Gabe, the self-described "daddy of Birmingham drag", discovered baking after watching the very first series aged 13 and performs as drag persona Blü Romantic. Nikki, a former podium dancer at a Basingstoke nightclub in the '90s, recently completed a 100-mile walk to raise money for breast cancer. Gary, who beat prostate cancer, raises awareness and funds for cancer charities through bake sales, and lives on a Nottinghamshire smallholding complete with pygmy goats and Shetland ponies. Meanwhile Shannon is hoping to bring "a little forest magic" to the tent and once rode a horse through a drive-thru, while Clara, originally from Aveiro in Portugal, is bringing "plenty of colour, warmth and Portuguese sunshine". Connie, known as "the Cake Lady", keeps a jar of fruit permanently soaking in rum, wine and cinnamon. The Great British Bake Off returns on Tuesday 22 September at 8pm on Channel 4. Add The Great British Bake Off to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews listen to The Radio Times Podcast.