The secret recipe for a perfect Bake-Off

As the country’s top cookery show returns to our screens this month, four past winners reveal how to succeed and what really goes on behind the scenes

‘You live a secret life’ Nancy Birtwhistle

Iwent into Bake Off having never entered a cookery competition before – and hoped I didn’t go out on week one. “When we drove to the tent on day one, it was amazing to see it. “Firstly, a lady showed us how the ovens worked as they’re top of the range, not like my bogstandard electric oven at home. Then we got down to the baking. “During the challenges you’re not really aware of the other bakers. You’re in this bubble, so I didn’t see what happened to them until the show went out on telly.

“You’re not aware of the cameras either until something goes wrong and the crew all home in on that person, trying to raise their anxiety levels as that makes good telly. “Doing Bake Off was like living a secret life as while my family knew what I was doing, they weren’t allowed to know where I was going. I just got on a train on a Friday and disappeared until the Monday.

“Once the contestants were announced to the press, too, it was weird getting phone calls from journalists asking how far I’d got in the show, as obviously we were all sworn to secrecy.” Nancy’s recipe for success? “I didn’t really suffer from nerves and when things went wrong I reminded myself that I was there to have fun, not to get stressed or upset.” What’s happened since Nancy won in 2014? “I’ve done demos at food shows, after-dinner speaking, teaching, recipes for magazines, wedding cakes and loved all of it. Most recently, I’ve set up Kitchen Rescue on social media channels (See facebook.com/nancybirtwhistle, Twitter @nancybbakes and Instagram @nancy birtwhistle) sharing my cookery tips and answering people’s baking questions.”

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

1 Prospective bakers fill out a seven-page application form, including questions about their previous kitchen mishaps and successes.

2 Phone call with a researcher to discuss the recipes.

3 Audition in London, where they bring in two of their creations.

4 Technical challenge audition set by judges in front of a camera.

5 Interview with the show’s psychologist to make sure they can handle the pressure of filming.

Nancy’s advice to new contestants? ‘Keep a level head as nerves can lead you into a downward spiral’