Q&A with Great British Bake Off contestant from Cheshire

The popular cooking show will return to our screens next week, with a dozen hopefuls looking to take home the Bake Off crown.

Among them will be 42-year-old Dan from Cheshire.

Get to know a bit more about the civil engineering resource planner with the Q&A below!

READ MORE: Cheshire resident announced as Great British Bake Off contestant

Dan from Cheshire has been announced as one of the 12 contestants on this year's Great British Bake Off (Image: Channel 4)

Q&A with Great British Bake Off contestant from Cheshire

Did you ever dream that you would actually get into the Bake Off tent, and what was your reaction when you got the call confirming your place?

"Couldn’t believe it, I had only applied once - it was a whirlwind, I had to keep very quiet with silent screams as my son was downstairs and he didn’t know I had applied!"

Are there any particular series of Bake Off that stand out to you and which past bakers have inspired you, how and why?

"Probably series nine when Rahul won, I thought they were all great bakers in that series."

In the very first week of filming what special memories do you have of that time?

"Meeting the bakers, then the judges and going to the tent to film."

If you had to make a cake of yourself in your happiest moment in life  – what would it be and why?

"Chocolate cheesecake when my boys were born."

As a baker what would you say are your strengths….and what are your weaknesses?

"My strengths are my flavour combos, my weakness…overthinking bakes and doing too much!"

If you had plenty of time at home, what’s the craziest kind of Showstopper you can think of to make?

"I’d like to do my house showing the front and back garden!"

If you were pastry would you be shortcrust, rough puff or a flaky filo?  And why

A: "I would be shortcrust, reliable and fit for any occasion."

Is there any kind of cake or biscuit that you really don’t like and what is your all time favourite?

"I enjoy all biscuits and hands down the best biscuit, a chocolate digestive!"

What was it like meeting Alison and Noel for the first time, any funny moments?

"They were like mates straight away, just started conversations like we’ve always known each other. 

"Noel did his textbook question ‘are you going to win it?!’ and Alison chatted about our recently departed dog."

Can you describe seeing the big white tent for the first time and walking in towards your workstation?

"Felt incredibly weird, something you had seen all these years and to be a part of it was just so cool, felt at home straight away."

Give us one fact about being in the tent that you didn’t realise after having watched the series previously?

"Well I think the logistics behind the food tech team providing all the ingredients. "

The Bake Off starts on Tuesday, September 26 (Image: PA)