David’s impeccable baking know-how and ability to stay calm under pressure earned him a well-deserved place in The Final. Although he saw himself as the underdog, he triumphed at each of the three challenges. David shared some thoughts from his time in the tent, and spoke about how it feels to be crowned the winner of Series 10 of The Great British Bake Off:
‘It feels so good! It’s been weeks and weeks of intensity and fatigue and then to finish it with this! I saved the best ‘till last, and it’s the best feeling in the world. Week on week other people were stronger, I was always the underdog and yet I just managed to get through. All of it is a bit surreal, and I am still trying to process it, but the whole Bake Off journey is non-stop and part of it is just having the stamina. Thousands of bakers apply every year, and everyone who gets into the tent is an exceptional baker. I think I just didn’t get stressed at the pressure of the tent.
‘I did feel very nervous at the Final which was unlike me. Honestly it was never in my mind that I could win this, I have had daydreams of winning Bake Off for about 10 years. The judges always loved my presentation but not my flavours so to come first in the Technical of the Final was amazing. I didn’t imagine for one microsecond that I would get to the Final, let alone win it. It’s just unreal. I keep the trophy under the bed, and I am now planning to put a potted palm on it and keep it in the living room.
‘Steph and Alice bake as good as they look, they are both beautiful inside and out, stunning people and great bakers. The three of us were so happy to be in the Final together, we were so close and really supported each other. This year particularly all the bakers helped support each other through the journey, from day one. It’s a shame we can’t all win.
‘Sandi and Noel were really the biggest surprise for me. They are so warm and so supportive which I didn’t expect. They are both so empathetic, they know when to hug you and when to have banter. They aren’t judges but they can judge the moment perfectly, they can read us all so well.
‘I felt the pressure in the tent but I just didn’t get stressed, I did feel nervous but I didn’t let it get to me. I wanted to enjoy myself rather than having any negative feelings. It’s not like other TV shows where the competition is so high – the overall support from the backroom teams to the cameramen was amazing and unexpected. I am a calm person and I thought Bake Off would break me, but as it’s such a friendly environment I felt I thrived from week to week.
‘Pottery is still a big part of my life, and I will continue to take my bakes into class. It was the pottery class who always encouraged me to apply, so I know they will be very pleased when they find out I have won. They had more faith in me than I did! I would also like to say thank you to my lovely boyfriend Nik for all his support and my mum who taught me everything I know. She taught us from tiny kids how to bake, and she has given me my temperament, she is the least stressed person I know. Dad is the chief test taster and pretty much easily pleased.
‘I watched the final with Alice and Steph and our friends and family at the recording of An Extra Slice, it was a special moment and it brought back all the lovely emotions. Bake Off has given me a whole new set of friends, including The Least Laddy Lads Club – the members are Henry, Michael and myself. We were describing the setting time of gelatine in fine detail, and Sandi observed us and christened us with that name. We were all such a loving and close club in the tent, and although it’s a cliché we truly have become a Bake Off family of our year 2019.
‘Don’t think you have to be a totally perfect baker to apply for Bake Off, if you think like that you won’t ever be ready. You get a lot of help and you learn so much along the way. It’s a great experience and I would encourage any amateur bakers out there to apply.’
David, Alice and Steph will join Jo Brand on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday 1st November at 8pm on Channel 4.
We’re looking to crown the next Bake Off champion for the eleventh series of The Great British Bake Off, so if you or someone you know is a Star Baker in the making then why not apply now: www.applyforbakeoff.co.uk