# The Great British Bake Off series 13

The thirteenth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 13 September 2022. It is again presented by Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas and judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The bakers competing in the series were announced on 2 September 2022. The series was filmed at Welford Park, an estate near Newbury, Berkshire which was previously used for the programme from 2014 to 2019.
The season was won by Syabira Yusoff, with Abdul Rehman Sharif and Nelsandro "Sandro" Farmhouse finishing as the runners-up. Yusoff is the first female winner since Sophie Faldo from Season 8.
This was the final series presented by Matt Lucas, who announced his departure from the programme on 6 December 2022.

## Bakers

| Baker | Age | Occupation | Hometown |
| Abdul Rehman Sharif | 29 | Electronics engineer | London |
| Carole Edwards | 59 | Supermarket cashier | Dorset |
| Dawn Hollyoak | 60 | IT manager | Bedfordshire |
| James Dewar | 25 | Nuclear scientist | Cumbria |
| Janusz Domagala | 34 | Personal assistant to head teacher | East Sussex |
| Kevin Flynn | 33 | Music teacher | Lanarkshire |
| Maisam Algirgeet | 18 | Student and sales assistant | Greater Manchester |
| Marie-Therese "Maxy" Maligisa | 29 | Architectural assistant | London |
| Rebecca "Rebs" Lightbody | 23 | Masters student | County Antrim |
| Nelsandro "Sandro" Farmhouse | 30 | Nanny | London |
| Syabira Yusoff | 32 | Cardiovascular research associate | London |
| Will Hawkins | 45 | Former charity director | London |

## Results summary

Elimination chart :
| Baker | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Syabira | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | SAFE | LOW | SB | SB | SB | HIGH | WINNER |
| Abdul | SAFE | HIGH | | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | HIGH | SB | Runner-up |
| Sandro | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | SB | SAFE | HIGH | LOW | LOW | Runner-up |
| Janusz | SB | SAFE | SB | HIGH | HIGH | SAFE | LOW | SAFE | OUT | |
| Maxy | SAFE | SB | SAFE | SB | SAFE | HIGH | SAFE | OUT | | |
| Kevin | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | OUT | | | |
| Dawn | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | HIGH | LOW | OUT | | | | |
| Carole | SAFE | LOW | LOW | LOW | OUT | | | | | |
| James | SAFE | HIGH | SAFE | OUT | | | | | | |
| Rebs | LOW | LOW | | OUT | | | | | | |
| Maisam | LOW | OUT | | | | | | | | |
| Will | OUT | | | | | | | | | |
Abdul and Rebs were ill and unable to compete in episode 3; at the end of the episode, the judges decided it was unfair to eliminate anyone in their absence.
Colour key:

## Episodes

Colour key:

### Episode 1: Cake

For the first signature challenge, the bakers were required to bake twelve identical mini sandwich cakes in two hours. For the technical challenge, set by Paul, the bakers were tasked with making a six-layered red velvet cake in two hours, each layer sandwiched with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with red crumbs. A 3D cake replica of a home that the bakers once lived in was set as the showstopper; the bakers were given four hours, the judges expecting the bake to be full of detail.
| Baker | Signature (12 Mini Sandwich Cakes) | Technical (Red Velvet Cake) | Showstopper (Cake Home) | Result |
| Abdul | 'Cake-y Cacti' | 6th | 'Summer In Pakistan' | Safe |
| Carole | 'To Bee or not to Bee' | 8th | 'Little House In The Country' | Safe |
| Dawn | Lime, Coconut & Tamarind Spring Cakes | 3rd | 'Nan's House' | Safe |
| James | Sticky Toffee Apple Candles | 12th | 'Last House On The Loch' | Safe |
| Janusz | Pistachio & Cherry Vodka Liquor Wuzetka | 7th | 'Home Is Where The Flowers Grow' | Star Baker |
| Kevin | Mini Persian Love Cakes | 4th | 'Ba-Na-Na That's My Hame' | Safe |
| Maisam | Pistachio Cakes with Raspberry Buttercream | 5th | 'My Childhood Home' | Safe |
| Maxy | 'Mango Magic Mess' | 10th | 'At My Mama's' | Safe |
| Rebs | Hazelnut Mocha Latte Mini Cakes | 11th | 'Piña Colada Cottage' | Safe |
| Sandro | 'A Bitesize of Love' | 2nd | 'Best Time Ever' Cake | Safe |
| Syabira | Coconut, Pandan & Caramel Mousse Cake | 1st | 'Happiest Childhood Memory' | Safe |
| Will | Ginger & Caramel Squares | 9th | 'First London Family Home' | Eliminated |

### Episode 2: Biscuits

The signature bake was eighteen Decorative macarons with a twist – they must be made to appear like something else. Two hours was given for the challenge. For the technical challenge, set by Prue, the bakers were given one hour and forty-five minutes to bake twelve Garibaldi biscuits with feathered chocolate on top. A 3D biscuit mask to be completed in 4 hours was the showstopper challenge.
| Baker | Signature (18 Decorative Macarons) | Technical (Garibaldi Biscuits) | Showstopper (3D Biscuit Mask) | Result |
| Abdul | 'Fudgetastic Maca-Cones' | 11th | 'Parrot-astic' Biscuits | Safe |
| Carole | 'Just A Mouthful' | 4th | 'Macaron Masquerade' | Safe |
| Dawn | 'Toy Shop Yarns' | 9th | 'Baroque-Punk' Mask | Safe |
| James | 'Raccarons' | 2nd | Menacing Mask | Safe |
| Janusz | Miniature Melons | 6th | Cubist Mask | Safe |
| Kevin | Mint Choc Trip | 8th | Mythical Mask | Safe |
| Maisam | Cute Carrots | 7th | Venetian Mask | Eliminated |
| Maxy | Baby Daisies | 5th | Masquerade | Star Baker |
| Rebs | 'Wee Branstons' | 1st | Floral Fascinator | Safe |
| Sandro | 'Cheat Day Treat' | 3rd | Carnival Costume | Safe |
| Syabira | Satay Macarons | 10th | 'Two Face, One Soul' | Safe |

### Episode 3: Bread

The bakers were set the task of making two sharing-size pizzas in two hours for the signature challenge. The technical challenge, set by Paul, was the baking of twelve pain aux raisins, to be completed in two hours and forty-five minutes. Finally, for their 4+1⁄2-hour showstopper, the bakers were asked to create their own interpretation of a Swedish celebration 'cake', the Smörgåstårta, topped with exquisite decorations.
| Baker | Signature (2 pizzas) | Technical (12 Pain aux raisins) | Showstopper (Smörgåstårta) | Result |
| Abdul | Did not compete | Did not compete | Did not compete | Safe |
| Carole | 'Pizza Exceptional' | 8th | 'Something Fishy' Smörgåstårta | Safe |
| Dawn | Tex-Mex Pizza | 6th | Chicken Souvlaki Smörgåstårta | Safe |
| James | 'It Does Belong!' Ham, Mushroom and Pineapple Pizza | 3rd | 'The Most Pandastic' Smörgåstårta | Safe |
| Janusz | Full English Breakfast Pizza | 1st | 'Fish and Chip Shop' Smörgåstårta | Star Baker |
| Kevin | 'Now Bring Us Some Figgy Pizza' | 7th | 'I've Started So I'll Fin-ish' Smörgåstårta | Safe |
| Maxy | Sweet Rosemary Lamb Pizza | 2nd | 'Curvy Seafood' Smörgåstårta | Safe |
| Rebs | Did not compete | Did not compete | Did not compete | Safe |
| Sandro | Sweet & Spicy Pizza | 4th | 'Ultimate' Smörgåstårta | Safe |
| Syabira | Malaysian Prawn Sambal Pizza | 5th | Nasi Lemak Smörgåstårta | Safe |
^1 Both Abdul and Rebs did not compete due to falling ill. Consequently, no one was eliminated this week but the following week would be a double elimination.

### Episode 4: Mexican

For their signature challenge, the bakers were asked to make twelve individual Pan dulce ("sweet bread" pastries) in 2+1⁄2 hours. Paul's technical challenge required them to make eight Mexican hand-pressed corn tacos and their fillings, in two hours. The showstopper gave them four hours to make their own four-layer version of a Tres Leches Cake ('three-milk cake', a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk).
| Baker | Signature (12 Pan dulce) | Technical (8 Tacos) | Showstopper (Tres Leches Cake) | Result |
| Abdul | Coconut & Raspberry Besos | 6th | 'Day of the Dead' Tres Leches Cake | Safe |
| Carole | Orange & Anise Seed Pan Dulce | 10th | 'Pastel de Chocolate Mexicano' Tres Leches Cake | Safe |
| Dawn | 'Dark Chocolate & Chilli Kick' Conchas | 5th | 'Blooming' Tres Leches Cake | Safe |
| James | 'Coffee Caramel Oyster' Conchas | 8th | Chocolate & Lime 'Many Leches' Cake | Eliminated |
| Janusz | Cacti Conchas | 7th | 'Fruity Horchata' Tres Leches Cake | Safe |
| Kevin | 'Sweet Breads are Made of These' Borrachitos | 4th | 'Meci-Cocoa Pyramid' Tres Leches Cake | Safe |
| Maxy | 'Bella Naranja' Conchas | 1st | 'Cocoa Flower Fiesta' Tres Leches Cake | Star Baker |
| Rebs | Lemon Conchas | 9th | 'Mexican Tiramisu' Tres Leches Cake | Eliminated |
| Sandro | Filled Concha Buns | 3rd | 'It's a Fiesta' Tres Leches Cake | Safe |
| Syabira | Corn on the Cob Conchas | 2nd | Sweetcorn & Cinnamon Tres Leches Cake | Safe |

### Episode 5: Desserts

For the signature the bakers had two hours to make eight individual steamed puddings, with an accompaniment of their choice. Prue's technical challenge gave them two hours to bake her favorite classic lemon meringue pie. The showstopper challenge required the bakers to produce a three-element mousse-based dessert with a surprise inside, and including three other dessert elements, in four hours, thirty minutes.
| Baker | Signature (8 Steamed Puddings) | Technical (Lemon Meringue Pie) | Showstopper (Hidden Surprise Mousse Dessert) | Result |
| Abdul | Fig & Date Puddings | 2nd | 'A Little Galaxy' Mousse Dessert | Safe |
| Carole | 'My Little Beauties' | 6th | 'Strawberry Fields' | Eliminated |
| Dawn | 'Traditional' Steamed Puddings | 7th | 'Woodland' Mousse Dessert | Safe |
| Janusz | Piña Colada Puddings | 1st | ‘Cake Within a Cake Surprise' | Safe |
| Kevin | Clootie Dumplings | 5th | 'What The Dog Dug' | Safe |
| Maxy | Sticky Toffee Puddings | 3rd | 'Sunset Surprise' | Safe |
| Sandro | Apple & Cherry Crumble Puddings | 4th | 'It's a Mousse World' | Star Baker |
| Syabira | Watermelon Steamed Puddings | 8th | 'Bee Positive' | Safe |

### Episode 6: Halloween

In the program's first-ever Halloween Week, the signature bake was a decorated Apple Cake, to be produced in two hours. The technical challenge set by Paul gave them two hours to produce eight toasted marshmallow and chocolate campfire snack S'mores. The four-hour showstopper challenge asked them to make a Halloween piñata hanging lantern filled with sweet treats.
| Baker | Signature (Apple Cake) | Technical (8 S'mores) | Showstopper (Edible Hanging Halloween Piñata Lantern) | Result |
| Abdul | Bonfire Cake | 7th | Witches Lantern | Safe |
| Dawn | 'Ukrainian Sharlotka' | 5th | 'A Cat in a Fancy Hat' Lantern | Eliminated |
| Janusz | 'Mum's Apple Cake' | 2nd | 'Halloween Horror Movie Popcorn' Lantern | Safe |
| Kevin | 'Apple Bobbing' | 3rd | 'Arachna-FOMO' Lantern | Safe |
| Maxy | Classic Apple & Walnut Cake | 6th | 'Spoooooky' Lantern | Safe |
| Sandro | Creepy Apple Crumble Cake | 4th | 'Dead Disco Ball' Lantern | Safe |
| Syabira | 'Witch Apple' | 1st | 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' Lantern | Star Baker |

### Episode 7: Custard

The signature challenge gave the bakers ninety minutes to produce eight Floating Islands. Prue set a technical challenge giving two hours, forty-five minutes to make six cones filled with pistachio and praline ice cream. The time-sensitive nature of the technical challenge required that the bakers' starting times be staggered (in order—Sandro, Janusz, Syabira, Maxy, Kevin, Abdul) and the judges taste each ice cream cone right after it was completed by the bakers. The showstopper challenge required them to bake a multi-layered gateau featuring a set custard, in four hours.
| Baker | Signature (8 Floating Islands) | Technical (6 Pistachio and Praline Ice Cream) | Showstopper (Custard Gateau) | Result |
| Abdul | Cherry, Orange & Pistachio Floating Islands | 4th | Peach & Raspberry Mille-feuille | Safe |
| Janusz | 'Morning Vanilla Latte' Floating Islands | 5th | 'Neapolitan' Custard Gateau | Safe |
| Kevin | 'Everything's Coming Up Roses' Floating Islands | 3rd | 'My Honey Valentine' Custard Gateau | Eliminated |
| Maxy | 'Blueberry Lagoon' Floating Islands | 2nd | 'The Promised Land' Custard Gateau | Safe |
| Sandro | Cherry, Almond & Hazelnut Floating Island | 1st | 'Tribute to a Friend' Custard Gateau | Safe |
| Syabira | Mojito Floating Islands | 6th | 'Piña Coladas Anyone?' Custard Gateau | Star Baker |

### Episode 8: Pastry (Quarterfinals)

The bakers produced a dozen vol-au-vents with a sweet (not the more common savory) filling in the two-hour signature challenge, The technical challenge set by Prue required them to make eight crispy deep-fried spring rolls with a dipping sauce, in one hour, twenty minutes. For the showstopper they were asked to create a spectacular 3D pie scene inspired by favorite childhood story or nursery rhyme, consisteing of at least eight pies, all in four hours.
| Baker | Signature (12 Sweet Vol-au-vents) | Technical (8 Spring Rolls) | Showstopper (3D Storybook Pie Scene) | Result |
| Abdul | Coconut and Berry Vol-au-Vents | 3rd | 'Adventures of a Pie-rate' Pie Scene | Safe |
| Janusz | 'Strawberries & Cream' Vol-au-Vents | 2nd | 'The Very Hungry Sausage Dog' Pie Scene | Safe |
| Maxy | 'Summertime Fine' Vol-au-Vents | 5th | 'Spicy Twinkling Stars' Pie Scene | Eliminated |
| Sandro | 'Key-Lime' Vol-au-Vents | 1st | Caterpillar Pie Scene | Safe |
| Syabira | 'Citrus Dreams' Vol-au-Vents | 4th | 'Jack and the Beanstalk' Pie Scene | Star Baker |

### Episode 9: Pâtisserie (Semi-final)

In the Patisserie Week signature challenge, the semi-finalist bakers were asked to make six Mini Charlottes in 2+1⁄2 hours. Prue's technical challenge required they bake four precisely assembled shortcrust pastry vertical tarts in two hours. The showstopper challenge was to make their own version of the Swedish Krokan multi-tiered almond biscuit dough creation in four hours.
| Baker | Signature (6 Mini Charlottes) | Technical (4 Chocolate, Hazelnut and Raspberry Vertical Tarts) | Showstopper (Krokan) | Result |
| Abdul | 'Pistachio Tiramisu' Mini-Charlottes | 2nd | 'To the Stars!' Krokan | Star Baker |
| Janusz | 'Plums in Chocolate' Mini-Charlottes | 3rd | 'Brighton Pride' Krokan | Eliminated |
| Sandro | 'Caramel Nutty' Mini-Charlottes | 4th | 'Where it Started to How it's Going' Krokan | Safe |
| Syabira | 'Peanut & Berries' Mini-Charlottes | 1st | 'The DNA in You' Krokan | Safe |
* ↑ Viewers were in uproar over Janusz's elimination with TV regulator OFCOM receiving 157 complaints following the airing of the semi-final.

### Episode 10: Final

The signature challenge asked the finalists to produce a perfect picnic, using seasonal British ingredients to make six mini-cakes, six individual vegetarian pies, and six finger sandwiches (first making a classic white bread loaf), in three hours. Paul set the technical challenge, allowing two hours to make a Summer pudding bombe. For the outer shell of their bombe, the bakers were given the unused white bread loaf they baked from their signature challenge. For the 4+1⁄2 hour showstopper, they needed to make a large edible sculpture on the theme of "Our Beautiful Planet" that consisted of a large cake base and demonstrating three additional baking skills.
| Baker | Signature (Seasonal Picnic) | Technical (Summer Pudding Bombe) | Showstopper (Large Planet Themed Edible Sculpture) | Result |
| Abdul | Summer Picnic | 1st | 'It's All About The Bees' Edible Sculpture | Runner-up |
| Sandro | Summer Picnic | 3rd | 'The World From Different Angles' Edible Sculpture | Runner-up |
| Syabira | Summer Picnic | 2nd | 'This is My Home' Edible Sculpture | Winner |

## Specials

Two specials were commissioned for the festive season:

### The Great Christmas Bake Off

The Great Christmas Bake Off featured Channel 4 legends Miquita Oliver, Terry Christian, Tony Robinson, Gaby Roslin and Claire Sweeney.
The signature challenge was for the bakers to bake eight individual cakes shaped like baubles, which had to include a filling or an icing, in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, asked the bakers to make a tear and share, with Camembert, in the shape of a Christmas tree, with rough-puff pastry, in one hour and forty-five minutes. The showstopper challenge tasked the bakers to make an edible wreath, made of choux pastry and/or meringue, which had to have a festive filling in three hours.
| Baker | Signature (Bauble Cakes) | Technical (Camembert Tear and Share) | Showstopper (Edible Wreath) | Result |
| Claire | Cherry & Amaretto Bauble Cakes | 2nd | Christmas Spiced Edible Wreath | Runner-up |
| Gaby | Gluten-Free 'Fruity' Bauble Cakes | 1st | Passion Fruit 'Big Breakfast' Edible Wreath | Runner-up |
| Miquita | ‘Mirabelle’ Bauble Cakes | 3rd | 'Abundance & Gratitude' Edible Wreath | Winner |
| Terry | Chocolate & Brandy Christmas Bauble Cakes | 5th | Festive Edible Wreath | Runner-up |
| Tony | ‘Turnip’ Bauble Cakes | 4th | 'Holy Berry Dog' Edible Wreath | Runner-up |

### The Great New Year Bake Off

The Great New Year Bake Off featured Antony Amourdoux and Manon Lagrève (Series 9), Lottie Bedlow (Series 11) and Chigs Parmar (Series 12).
The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making a savoury Wellington in two and a half hours. The technical challenge, set by Prue, was a vegan Baked Alaska in two hours and forty-five minutes. The showstopper challenge was for the bakers to make a bûche entremet in four hours.
| Baker | Signature (Savoury Wellington) | Technical (Vegan Baked Alaska) | Showstopper (Bûche Entremet) | Result |
| Antony | 'Kerala Coconut Beef Fry' Wellington | 4th | 'My Chestnuts With Love' Bûche | Runner-up |
| Chigs | 'Festive Jerk Lamb' Wellington | 2nd | 'Bougie Bûche' | Runner-up |
| Lottie | 'It was the Salmon' Wellington | 3rd | 'The Original Yule Log' | Runner-up |
| Manon | Salmon Roulade Wellington | 1st | 'Triple Chocolate Village' Bûche | Winner |

## Reception

Fans on social media criticised the thirteenth series, including the following aspects of the final week: time limit as too short, tasks as heavily complex within time allowed, bakes as short on quality, and judges' perceived overly negative comments.
Besides what fans noted, Nicola Austin of Digital Spy further criticised the series's Technical challenges as the production's intentions for amateur bakers "to fail", highlight one-step instruction, "Make a lemon meringue pie", for week five's (Dessert) "Lemon Meringue Pie"; and lack of instructions to properly use vegetarian gelatin for the finale's "Summer Pudding Bombe". Austin further stated, "[M]uch of the judges' precise specifications, timings and presentation requirements now lean more towards professional standards," different from what Bake Off initially intended to be. She further criticised the series's "stereotypical presentation of Mexican culture" in episode five and other "faux pas on display", like Halloween-themed bakes in episode six and spring rolls as a Technical challenge.
In response to the fan backlash, especially toward the Mexican Week, the producers' decision not to produce nationality-themed challenges for the following fourteenth series was made although this was met with further backlash from TV chef Antony Worrall Thompson.
Contestant Dawn Hollyoak died on 5 July 2024, aged 61, with Hollywood and Leith leading tributes.

## Ratings

| Episode no. | Airdate | 7-day viewers (millions) | Channel 4 weekly ranking | Weekly ranking all channels |
| 1 | 13 September 2022 (2022-09-13) | 8.30 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 20 September 2022 (2022-09-20) | 7.60 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | 27 September 2022 (2022-09-27) | 7.35 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | 4 October 2022 (2022-10-4) | 7.76 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | 11 October 2022 (2022-10-11) | 8.32 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | 18 October 2022 (2022-10-18) | 7.79 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | 25 October 2022 (2022-10-25) | 7.51 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | 1 November 2022 (2022-11-1) | 7.41 | 1 | 4 |
| 9 | 8 November 2022 (2022-11-8) | 7.70 | 1 | 10 |
| 10 | 15 November 2022 (2022-11-15) | 8.13 | 1 | 10 |