As the Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4, Westgate’s Hazel Vaughan is among the 12 contestants battling to be crowned the winner.
Former nail technician Hazel, 71, says cakes are her strong point and she loves nothing more than to gather everyone together for dinners and parties, especially at Christmas.
Now in its 15th season, the series kicked off yesterday (September 24) with the bakers meeting judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, along with co-hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.
Among the challenges for the first episode was a signature loaf cake and creating an illusion cake.
Although Hazel didn’t get off to the start she would have liked, no-one was ejected from the contest and she survives to bake another day.
Hazel, who has been married to her childhood sweetheart for 51 years, has four children, one still at home while the other three, and her ten grandchildren, all live close by.
She has made several ‘car’ cakes with remote-controlled wheels and working lights and her granddaughter’s seventh birthday cake was a carousel with 500 edible diamonds that took Hazel two weeks to make! When she’s not baking or entertaining her family, Hazel will be exercising her competitive streak, playing bingo.
Here we share a Q&A as she heads into episode 2 of GBBO
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? Where were you and did you have to talk in code?
No I really didn’t, my family and friends have been saying to me for years that I should apply, but I always said I am not good enough. I screamed when I heard I was in, and said OMG are you joking? I was in my car driving home and I kept saying to myself that I can’t believe it, I was in total shock, and it seemed so unreal.
Any special moments that you will remember from the first episode?
When I carried my Showstopper handbag by the handle to the judging table everyone clapped, even Paul, Prue, Noel and Alison. That felt good.
If you had to make a cake of yourself in your most zen moment in life – what would it be and why?
I would make a cake of myself sunbathing on the beach in my favourite place I love to go – the Maldives – just chilling out or snorkelling.
As a baker what would you say are your strengths….and what are your weaknesses?
My strengths are making beautiful cakes and my weaknesses are baking biscuits.
In a Bake Off time travelling capsule you are allowed to take one past baker and one utensil – which baker and utensil would you take and why? What period of time past or future would you like to travel to and why.
Nadiya, a hand whisk and I would like to travel back in time to India to experience all the spices.
If you had plenty of time at home, what’s the craziest kind of Showstopper you can think of to make?
My craziest Showstopper would be a remote control VW Camper van with headlights, and to drive it to the person I had made it for.
Is there any kind of snack that you just can’t stand and what is your favourite to have while watching TV?
I like all kinds of snacks, my favourite would be cheese and crackers, crisps and popcorn.
What was it like meeting Alison and Noel for the first time, any funny moments?
It was very surreal meeting them both, and they were so friendly. The funniest moment was when Alison came up to me and asked what had happened to my jam, and I told her I had burnt it. Alison tried rescuing it by adding hot water then shouted out that she had saved my jam for me!
Can you describe seeing the big white tent for the first time and walking in towards your workstation?
I was in awe of the tent, it was like a dream walking in. I found it very overwhelming when I walked to my workstation.
Give us one fact about being in the tent that you didn’t realise after having watched the series previously?
I had no idea how many crew and cameramen were inside the tent, especially down the middle!
When you watch it on TV you have no idea how many people are in there, it was a bit of a shock.
Facing so many cameras for the first time did you find it daunting or was it something that you easily got used to on the first day?
The thought of it was frightening but as you started baking you seemed to forget everything else around you, especially in my case! You do get used to them but at the same time can be easily distracted by them.
The next episode of GBBO can be seen on Channel 4, October 1 at 8pm.
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