The Great British Bake Off: The Fourth Baker Leaves The Tent

The nation’s most famous tent was pitched in the grounds of Welford Park once again. Presenters Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond came to lead the latest batch of 12 bakers through thirty brand new challenges set by Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, in ten episodes.

In Tuesday’s night’s episode of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, Jasmine was named Star Baker and sadly Jessika was the fourth baker to leave the 16th series.

In Week 4 it was Back to School week and the 9 remaining bakers had to impress the judges Paul and Prue to battle it out for Star Baker.

The Bakers started with the classic canteen favourite Flapjacks, and were then tested with a fondly remembered school cake technical, which had a catch; before a final exam with a spectacular school fete showstopper, full of nostalgic treats.

At the end of the fourth episode Alison announced that Jasmine was Star Baker and Noel had the difficult job of telling Jessika that she would be leaving the tent. 

Jessika said:  ‘This was going to be my last year to apply and I  feel chuffed that I made it to the tent.  I have met some incredible talented inspiring bakers so it’s not all bad.’

Prue said ‘Bad luck sweetheart.   The thing I have loved about Jessika all the way through is that she is very creative and she takes risks every single week.   And I think she took the risk too far this week.’

Here Jessika talks about her experience after leaving the tent:

*Overall what was your best and worst moment in the Tent?

Golly, there were so many moments, but if I had to pick, my best would probably be my week 2 showstopper. Up until Alison and Noel told us we were out of time, I hadn't looked up once to see what anyone else was doing. When I finally did, I saw Pui Man's and Tom's insane creations, and I thought, "Uh oh, I'm in trouble." 

But then came the judging, and the feedback blew me away! Paul said that in his 16 years on the show, he'd never seen anything like my biscuit selfie!!!!! Whatttttt! Hearing those words from Paul had me grinning from ear to ear!

As for my worst moment, that would definitely be my week 4 showstopper. Everything went wrong - my oven, my microwave, my cake, my biscuits, my meringue. I was running back and forth trying to temper the chocolate, and it all just fell apart. It was a complete disaster. Oops!

*Favourite challenge overall and why.

That’s such a tough one because I had so many favourites! But I think my week one showstopper stands out the most. There were so many elements that felt pretty personal. The design was inspired by a place where I spent my birthday, where I woke up to the most beautiful sunrise. It’s a lovely memory, and not one I ever imagined I’d bake into a cake!

The flavours were inspired by a sticky toffee apple, which was a little nod to my sister.

 When I first made the cake at home, she wouldn’t stop talking about the toffee apple sauce filling; she even told me I needed to jar it up and sell it to the masses! So for Christmas, I jarred it up and put it in her stocking, safe to say she was a happy gal!

But what made this bake even more special were the apples I used; they came from Betty’s apple tree. Betty was such an important person in my life. We lived together for a year and a half, and she was just brilliant - a wonderful homemaker, storyteller, and the best taste tester I’ve ever had! She loved that apple tree and would sit underneath it, even after losing most of her sight, telling me how she could still see the shapes of the apples dancing in the sunlight. For her 91st birthday, I turned those apples into an apple-shaped entremet - something soft and easy for her to eat since she couldn’t eat them raw anymore. She said it was so special to taste them one last time. 

When Betty passed away, I collected some apples from her tree before I moved, and I used them in my showstopper as a way to celebrate her. She knew I’d applied for Bake Off and was so incredibly supportive. So, even though she’s not around to see me in the tent, I almost feel like I brought her along on my journey. 

*Worst challenge and why?
Oh, that would definitely be the week four showstopper. It was the point of no return for me. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong and I was running back and forth trying to temper chocolate. I ran out of time, and in the end it was all just a bit of a flop! Oops.

*Can you describe how you felt when the presenter announced that you would be leaving how did your fellow Bakers cheer you up.

Honestly, it wasn’t a surprise. After that bake, I knew it was coming - it was a bit of a disaster from start to finish, and the judges’ reactions made it pretty clear. Of course, it felt sad to leave, but I wasn’t shocked.

For the most part, I just felt incredibly proud and chuffed to have been in the tent at all. That in itself was such a huge achievement for me. Between the judging and the announcement, I had this lovely moment of calm where I just enjoyed hanging out with the other bakers - my newfound favourite people. There was still so much laughter and fun, even though we all knew what was coming.

On the journey home, Tom drove Jasmine and myself back, and it was so much fun. We sang songs from Wicked and other musicals, and it really was such a magical way to close out my time on the show.

*Funniest moment in the tent throughout your time there?

Oh my goodness, there were so many funny moments, but one that stands out was during the week four technical. Toby was in full-on professor mode, giving us this detailed explanation about baking powder ratios and why they’re so important. He was really going for it, and I remember thinking, “Wow, this boy knows his stuff. I don’t think I’ve even added enough!”

Then, when he took his sponge out of the oven, it dipped dramatically in the middle, and he gasped, “Oh, I think I might have added too much!” I absolutely erupted in laughter - I just couldn’t contain it. It was so silly and so funny, and still something I think about!

*Would you wear any of Noel’s jumpers or shirts?
Oh, absolutely, without a doubt! Preferably something pink. AND if we could match. Oh, I think we’d look quite dashing. Maybe we could even come up with some kind of delightful co-ordinated drag duo???? 

*Did you do anything daft with Noel during your time in the tent, and did you get to either sing or dance with Alison?

Oh gosh, there was this chaotic interaction in week four when my bake was going completely wrong. In earlier episodes, Alison and I had been flirting and joking about getting married, so I decided to use that moment to propose to her. I know she loves hard-boiled sweets, so I got her a giant hard-boiled diamond ring and asked her in Spanish if she’d marry me. She was playing hard to get, and maybe out of kindness, said ‘yes’.

Then things got even more ridiculous. Noel offered to officiate the wedding, and somehow, Iain got involved because he can also marry people. It all happened so fast, and I was so overwhelmed by everything going wrong with my bake that I barely understood what was happening. Looking back, it’s all a magical blur, but I think Alison and I might technically be engaged now!

*What do you love most about all your fellow bakers

I love how kind and silly all of the bakers are. It’s been such a delight to meet so many talented, down-to-earth people. We laughed so much together, and despite everyone being focused on their own bakes, there was always time to help each other out.

The friendships we built inside the tent have carried on outside of it, too. I’ve already visited Northern Ireland to see my friend Audrey (one of my favourite people!) and hang out with Iain. I’ve spent time in London with others, and Hassan even sent mushrooms for us to bake with. I’m planning to visit Leighton soon to help him with stained glass windows. And Aaron and I are planning a fun drag duet. It really was such a great dynamic; we genuinely want to spend time together and learn from each other, and I’m really here for it!

*Did anything from the tent happen to slip into your travel bag when you were leaving (no judging)

As soon as I arrived in the tent, I fell in love with the pastel pink Le Creuset cafetière. When I left, I asked Alison if she’d help me pinch it. Together, we stuffed it under my apron, and I scurried out of the tent. We weren’t subtle at all, and I was asked to give it back, which I did (boo)! I was heartbroken about it that I ended up buying my own, and honestly, I have no regrets!

*What will you take away from your experience on Bake Off and do you feel that you have learned new skills?

I think the biggest thing I’ll take away is the need to trust and believe in myself more. I spent too much time worrying about silly things or looking foolish, but in the end, none of that really mattered. It was more about staying true to who I am and having fun - the baking will follow from that.

*Would you encourage other home bakers to apply for the next series?

Absolutely! If you have a love for baking, it doesn’t matter what your profession is, your age, or how long you’ve been baking - just give it a go. If it’s your passion, why not try? The worst that can happen is a no, but if you don’t apply, you’ll never know.

The Bake Off journey requires a lot of hard work, but it’s so worth it. You’ll learn so much, stretch your skills, and meet incredible people along the way. So why not show us what you’ve got? Who knows where it could take you?

*What’s next for you in the baking world?

Baking can be expensive, from the equipment to the ingredients, and I'd love to create opportunities for people, especially those from minority backgrounds (we gotta stick together), to support them in exploring baking as an outlet, a hobby, or a profession. Maybe I'd have a little school with scholarships, where people can learn to bake for their loved ones or even turn it into a career. First, though, I need to keep learning and growing myself. But ultimately, I'd love to build something with a social impact - a place where people can come together, create, and share.

For me, baking has always been more than a hobby - it's something I truly love and want to pursue. Whether I got onto Bake Off or not, I knew this was the path I wanted to take. One day, I'd love to have my own little bakery, a place where everyone can enjoy beautiful, delicious treats without breaking the bank.

This experience has encouraged me to focus on building my confidence as a baker and to keep enjoying the journey. I’ve learned so much, stretched my skills, and now, I’m excited to see where this path takes me next.

Biography

Jessika

32

London

Service Designer

With backflips as bold as her bakes, Jessika is a gymnastic, roller-skating Drag King whose creations are as vibrant as her personality. Gifting bakes is her love language, and she’ll spend months gathering information about her friends tastes before surprising them with the perfect birthday entremet. Raised in Cornwall, Jessika has fond memories of eating corner-shop cakes with her sister after dance classes, which solidified her sweet tooth. Her signature bakes fuse daring flavours like salted mango caramel and cardamom, or Jerusalem artichoke caramel with a dark chocolate mousse. When she’s not baking, Jessika’s on skates, cycling, or performing as her drag king persona. An ambitious baker, she’s all about pushing boundaries, in the kitchen and beyond.

An Extra Slice

Jessika will join Jo Brand and Tom Allen on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on 

Friday 26 September on Channel 4 at 8.00 pm.