Michael’s ‘treasure chest’ good enough for judges

Support worker Dan is first to leave show after serving up a raw fruit cake

A Tayside man has secured his place in the next stage of hit television show The Great British Bake Off.

The first episode of the new series aired last night.

Michael Chakraverty, who grew up in Scone, did enough on the hit Channel 4 show during “cake week” with his “treasure chest cake” to make it to the next round.

His cake was made up of a chocolate and coffee sponge and topped off with a salted caramel butter cream.

Judges said it was good, but that Michael needed to “think about his flavours”.

The first amateur baker to exit the competition was not so lucky, admitting the show “wasn’t a piece of cake at all”.

Support worker Dan, 33, was axed after serving up a raw fruit cake to judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood.

Afterwards he said: “I love fruit cake and it hasn’t put me off making one, but next time I won’t make it in three hours.

“I love the long process of making a Christmas cake and I feed it over the weeks and it always turns out a beautiful cake. I get lots of compliments from the family at Christmas!”

He had better luck in the showstopper challenge, whipping up a pirate island cake complete with dry ice waterfall as the birthday cake of his childhood dreams.

He said: “It’s the nature of the show when something goes wrong on that particular week, you’ve had it, and I understand how the show works and I felt it was the right decision I should go.

“My best moment overall was meeting the other bakers, and that was one of the reasons I was sad to leave.

“I knew I was going to miss talking to people that felt like I did about baking, and we bonded instantly. It was very strange but very lovely at the same time.

“When I heard that the judging wasn’t amazing, I really knew I was going, so I was prepared for it when they announced it.”

The first episode saw print shop administrator Michelle, 35, named star baker after whipping up a carrot cake so delicious Leith asked for the recipe.

After sampling the cake, Leith said: “This is the 10th anniversary of The Great British Bake Off and what a way to start!”

Dan will join Jo Brand and Tom Allen on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Channel 4 at 8pm on Friday.

Dan fell at the first fence last night and exited the Bake Off.