7 THINGS BAKE OFF has taught me

Presenter Tom Allen, who turns 37 this week, tells TV Times what he’s learnt from TV’S toughest baking contest…

BAKE OFF: THE PROFESSIONALS

TUESDAY / C4 / 8PM / EP 4 of 10 / COOKERY

1 I CAN’T MAKE PASTRY!

‘First and foremost, I’ve learnt what makes a good croissant. It should be crispy on the outside and have a honeycomb structure in the middle – anything else is a waste of time!

‘Not that I’ve made any croissants myself – I wouldn’t dare present my efforts to Bake Off: The Professionals judges Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden! Saying that, I did have a dream that I could make croissants. See what this show has done to me!’

2 BEWARE OF EXCITABLE JUDGES…

‘If you bang a table, sugar sculptures will collapse – as Cherish found out! She wasn’t cross with the chefs; she was actually excited.

‘She was wearing a sort of space-age outfit, which made the whole thing even more extraordinary as she excitedly banged a table and made a huge, elaborate sugar sculpture come crashing down! They’re like massive shards of glass, so it was quite terrifying. Luckily, the chefs didn’t seem to mind as Cherish had already judged it. I was just delighted it wasn’t me!’

3 DRESS FOR SUCCESS

‘Presenters clothes are never as immaculate as they look on TV. I’m constantly being sponged down. Viewers often ask how I manage to look so smart when there’s flour flying about, but there are a lot of people going around out of shot, tidying us up.

‘I do like being smart for TV. Even as a little boy, I loved dressing up in suits. And when I was a teenager, and all the kids at family barbecues wore shorts and T-shirts, I’d be in an old-fashioned suit, hearing people grumble, “Why can’t you wear something normal?” I was unusual, yes, but it’s served me well.’ ‘Sadly, viewers don’t get to see Benoit and Cherish’s amazing skills on the show, but one day Benoit brought in a sourdough loaf he’d baked, with some soft,

4 BREAD + CHEESE = FOOD HEAVEN

smoky cheeses. It was the best meal I’ve ever had.

‘It started me thinking about what my final meal would be on death row if I was unfortunate enough to have to choose one. It would be Benoit’s bread and cheese.

‘I better not leave Cherish out here – she brought in delicious fried dumplings for us. I didn’t bring anything. Apart from my wit – which they probably find tedious!’

I’M AMAZED A ‘SUSAN FROM BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’ HASN’T PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE

5 CHERISH & BENOIT AREN’T SCARY

‘They may come across as quite formidable on screen and people assume they’re like that in real life, but they’re actually very sweet. Viewers don’t get to see how much they care about the pastry chefs and the craft, nor how much time they spend advising the chefs how to improve and get better, long after the cameras stop rolling.

‘I now appreciate how the cooking and hospitality industry is based on people working really hard, and long hours, to be the best they can be. Benoit and Cherish exemplify that – they’re part of that wonderful family that tries to help one another get better. It’s inspiring and heart-warming because Benoit and Cherish – and myself and Liam – really care.’

6 JUST EAT A TINY CORNER…

‘Sometimes we have 12 desserts to try, so you should just eat a tiny corner of each one, not the entire lot, and feel sick like I do. It would be sensible of me to skip lunch during filming, wouldn’t it?

But I never do. That’s why my waistcoat exploded!

‘If you spend 10 weeks eating cake, you put on weight, apparently. Who knew? So, yes, I’m finding my clothes don’t fit me now. It’s a worry!’

7 LIAM LIKES PRANKS

‘My co-host Liam Charles likes surprising people, so he’ll often jump out of cupboards and scare Benoit and Cherish silly. You can imagine how well that goes down.

‘I see our roles as very much scampering around the kitchen, stealing cake and trying to make the chefs laugh. I think I’m quite good at raising a smile but I wouldn’t say I’m sympathetic when the chefs make mistakes.

‘Anyone who’s seen me on An Extra Slice [The Great British Bake

Off ’s companion show] knows I can be quite mean about people’s bakes. I’m amazed a “Susan from Buckinghamshire” hasn’t punched me in the face, to be honest! I think people know I’m only messing and quite enjoy it.’