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30 August 2017

The Great British Bake Off has only just started and viewers are already thirsty for the boys

By Will Stroude

The Great British Bake Off 

bubbled its way back onto screens last night as the annual celebration of cream fillings and soggy bottoms made the leap to Channel 4 from the BBC.

Mel and Sue might have been replaced by Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding, and Mary Berry might have taken on the form of Prue Leith, but otherwise it was business as usual as 12 bakers entered the tent to show us what they – and their bakes – are made of.

Thankfully, there was also plenty of man-candy on display to sweeten the deal, and thirsty viewers at home wasted no time airing their innermost thoughts about Steven, Tom and Liam.

The trio – two of whom are openly gay in the case of Tom and Steven – got men and women at home hot under the collar as they impressed the judges with their respective skills in the kitchen, while 34-year-old Steven, from Hertfordshire, was even crowned Star Baker at the end of a competitive first week.

Steven, who has a background in marketing but is considering giving it up to focus on baking full-time, was taught the basics of baking by his mother Judi 25 years ago.

He also found plenty of fans at home during Tuesday night’s show, including Coronation Street star Charlie Condou and former contestant on The Apprentice Sanjay Sood-Smith.

Some even seemed to think hard-to-please Paul Hollywood was also a fan.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Liam also caught the eye of viewers.

Known among his friends as ‘Cake Boy’, the drama student from Hackney in north London discovered his passion for baking four years ago and is keen to help make baking more acceptable among his peers.

He may have made it all the way to Bake Off, but Liam hasn’t had the best luck in other baking competitions. In 2015, he was beaten into second place in the ‘Great Rainbow Bake-off’ competition at his school to commemorate LGBT Pride month.

His double chocolate cake in that competition was bested by a pink triangle cake which read ‘Lesbians Do Exist’.

Audiences were also enraptured by 29-year-old Scotsman Tom, an architect who often bakes for his friends, family, and partner David.

Yep, you heard that right. Partner. We’re as gutted as the rest of you.

So, which of the boys are you backing? All three is an acceptable answer, FYI.

The Great British Bake Off continues next Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4.

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