The Great British Bake Off: the eighth baker leaves the tent

2 November 2022

The nation’s most famous tent was pitched in the grounds of Welford Park once again. Presenters Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas returned to lead the latest batch of bakers through brand new challenges set by Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

In Tuesday’s night’s episode of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4,  Syabira was named Star Baker and Maxy 29 from London left the tent.

It was the eighth episode and the quarter-final of The Great British Bake Off and in Pastry week the bakers had to make Vol au Vents in the Signature challenge, they tackled a delicious savoury snack in the Technical [spring rolls] and in the Showstopper they're asked to create a 3D Pie-scape depicting their favourite childhood story.  

At the end Noel announced that Syabira was the Star Baker, and Matt followed with the hardest job of announcing that Maxy would be leaving the tent.

Prue said to Maxy:  ‘You have been so brilliant, honestly’.  Paul added:  ‘You have got through to the quarter finals and that is a big thing.

Paul closed the episode with:  ‘ It’s really sad to lose Maxy as she’s been one of the strongest bakers coming through.  It was very close between Sandro and Maxy.  Sandro has really got to watch it now.’

On the show Maxy said:  ‘I can’t believe it,  I had a bad bad week.  I knew it was me, I knew it was  coming but I was hoping my Showstopper would save me.  It’s really sad to go but I am happy and proud that I have made it this far.’

Maxy talks here about leaving the show:  ‘Well I am very happy to have got to the quarter-finals.  The first day of filming seems a long way away now, and I didn’t imagine I would have got that far based on Week 1.  Once I passed Week 6 I started getting excited and I hoped to carry on in the tent.

‘I am so looking forward to seeing the last two weeks, and see what I missed out on.  I would have so loved to have made it to the Final but it wasn’t to be and I will look back on the whole baking adventure as one of the best experiences of my life.

‘I just didn’t do very well on the spring roll technical, so I think that has to be my worst challenge as it contributed to my being eliminated. I had so much fun during and throughout the technical, and I felt really confident seeing as they looked lovely and uniform and tasted great. But I came last because of something minor and was heartbroken. I still think about my silly mistake of not putting in enough filling in the spring rolls today!

‘I literally saw some spring rolls in the supermarket yesterday but I couldn’t bring myself to buy them, and sometimes I do literally dream about them, and wanting to go back in baking time to make my spring rolls with more filling.   Timing was always a problem for me, so I didn’t get to the semi-finals but I am good in the knowledge that my family and friends are so proud of me getting where I did.

‘My girls love watching the show with me, and they look forward to the Bake Off so much.   Their classmates and teachers talk about it all the time.  Honestly, parents evening at the school was mainly about Bake Off!  Do you know what? My girls are good bakers, they like making cupcakes, muffins and biscuits.  Anything that they like eating!   My partner and close family have been such a great support, and I couldn’t have done it without them all.

‘I stuck with classic flavours, and what is so annoying is that I felt so nervous during filming I didn’t really show my true self.  It was only towards the end I managed to overcome my fear and felt ok presenting my bakes to the Judges.  I definitely enjoyed the rapport with the judges as they always trusted my ideas and never questioned my bakes.

‘I have learnt so much about baking in the Tent, and I have left it a better baker seeing as my baking knowledge has expanded. I have also learnt a lot about myself, and I have become more confident as an individual.

‘The filming was fun, all the producers and camera crew made me feel super comfortable, I enjoyed it all.   But I really missed my girls, it felt strange being away from them, I may have looked as if I was okay with it, but deep inside, I was constantly worried! Which is natural for a mother, I guess.

‘My best moment in the tent was getting my first handshake and also knowing that I got the first handshake of the season. I was so so happy, especially seeing as it was a big surprise to me considering how much I was dreading making the macarons.  I was fearing it so much, so it was a nice feeling to get that.

‘My worst moment in the tent has to be my failed pastry signature, can’t believe that I ended up with raw pastry when the practice at home came out perfect. I was so disappointed with myself, it all went downhill from there.  And my funniest moment in the tent was receiving the instructions to make a lemon meringue pie!

‘I am hoping to publish a few recipe books because I have lots to share. And I am going to spread some baking love.  From this experience in Bake Off I will take away lots of love, lots of happiness, 11 amazing life-long friends and an adventure that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I lived the dream.’

Q&A with Maxy:

*How much did you practice at home before going into the tent and how did you juggle that with life and work?

To be honest, I hardly had any time to practice anything, I have such a busy life and it was extremely hard for me to set time aside for my practices, even though it was that one thing I really wanted to do. I had to break up my baking across days, an hour here, and hour there etc, and never really had the chance to practice my bakes within the given time.

*How big is your love of baking and how many hours would you bake a week?

My love for baking is massive! If I could sit at home and bake all day long, I would. The number of hours I bake a week varies, it is really hard to count, it has been a lot less since I returned to work after the babies. Before that, I probably baked at least 4 out of 7 days a week.

*Did you pack a lucky item for your stay?

I did not but, I did bring drawings by my daughters along with me to the tent which I would keep tucked away beneath my bench.

*Can you describe the bakers as a group this year, and are you all on a what’s app group?

We are a lovely bunch! All very different but united by the one thing we all love – Baking! There is a lot of love between us all, we all get along! It sort of happened instantly, we were a family in seconds. And yes, we all have a popping whats app group.

*How nervous were you when Paul and Prue started judging the first signature challenge and how did it feel when they judged the technical challenge?

I was extremely nervous, I couldn’t get my words out because of my nerves! Getting judged for the technical was fun, I like the blind judging.

*Is Paul Hollywood scary in real life and how did you cope with the blue eyed stare?

Paul is a really lovely man, he is a lot nicer than I thought he would be, he is kind and not as scary in person. The stare does make you nervous, you never know what he is thinking.

*Having watched Bake Off in the past, was the first day in the tent what you expected?

Going into the tent, I did not know what to expect, I was still in so much shock that I had been selected. Everything felt magical.

*If you could travel back in time what year/decade  would you like to go back to and why

I would travel back to the late 90’s, 1997/8 to when I was a little girl. Baking at Christmas with my aunt and cousin. There was something super special about baking during the Christmas period. The baking brought warmth to the cold and dark winter.

*What was it like having the team clean up for you after all your bakes.  Did you feel guilty if you made a mess?

Oh I felt so guilty! I am used to cleaning as I go, it’s part of my routine. Having someone do it all for me felt different. I wish there was some washing up liquid hanging around so that I could do my washing up.

*Who is your baking inspiration and what age did you start baking?

My first baking inspiration has to be my aunt, she brought me into it. I baked here and there as a young girl, but I began baking properly when I became a mum at 24.

*The Bake Off family is a very exclusive club, how do you feel now being a new member?

I feel privileged! It’s amazing! I have always been a Bake Off Fan and being a part of the family means so much to me, still can’t believe it.

* What is the cake you get asked to make the most for friends and family?

I am always getting asked to make birthday/celebration cakes for friends and family. Either vanilla or oreo flavoured.

*If you were a cake topper what would you be and why?

‘Magic Maxy’… because I can magically put together a cake in minutes.

*On a Bake Off Island you are allowed to take one utensil – what would it be?

 It would have to be a spatula, its essential to me, and can be used for a lot of different things

*In three words how would you describe yourself?

Creative, passionate, driven

*And how would your friends describe you?

Helpful, caring, creative

*Are there any spices or flavours that you really dislike? and why… 

I am not a big fan of nutmeg, too much can be overpowering.

*When baking in the kitchen at home what music do you have on in the background, or is it just the hum of the fridge?

No music for me, just the sound of my children making noise as per usual haha.

*Does it all seem a bit surreal that you have joined The Great British Bake Off family?

It feels crazy! It’s a dream! It’s so big, and super surreal. I feel so privileged to be a part of the Bake Off family. Still cannot believe it!

*Do you think work colleagues and friends will be shocked to see you on TV? 

Most definitely, I really stepped out of my comfort zone with this, I’m a bit camera shy and always try to get out of being in photos, so they definitely will be shocked to see me on the screen.

* What do you think it will be like watching yourself on television.  Are you looking forward to it or terrified?

Cringe!! I am really looking forward to watching it all but I am also extremely terrified. It is going to be so awkward to watch.

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Biography:

Maxy, 29

London

Architectural Assistant

Swedish-born Maxy studied fine art and went on to achieve a Masters degree in Architecture, pausing her final qualifications to raise her two daughters, Tyra and Talia. She has DIY-ed every corner of her flat – from laying the flooring and resurfacing the balcony to painting the walls and hanging her own artwork. She began baking five years ago, with the arrival of her first daughter, and uses her strong artistic skills to create beautifully decorated celebration cakes. Her favourite flavours link to her Scandinavian upbringing – the sweet and delicate spice of cardamom and saffron buns and cinnamon rolls.

Maxy will join Jo Brand and Tom Allen on AN EXTRA SLICE this Friday 4 November C4 at 8.00pm