The Great British Bake Off series 3

Thethird seriesofThe Great British Bake Offbegan airing on Tuesday 14 August 2012.The series was filmed atHarptree CourtinEast Harptree, Somerset.
Seven thousand applied for the competition and twelve contestants were chosen.The competition was won byJohn Whaite.
The third series was broadcast as the fifth season onPBSin the United States.
There was no elimination the sixth week after John sustained a major injury to his finger and could not complete the last bake. The judges determined it would be unfair to eliminate anyone and instead, two bakers were eliminated the next week.
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The contestants were required to make anupside-down cakefor their signature bake: they were given 2 hours to make a sponge topped with fruits of their choice. For the technical bake, Paul set the bakers the challenge of making 4rum babaswith cream in the middle and sliced fruits on top, to be completed in 3 hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were given the task of making a cake in 5 hours, that would reveal a hidden design when sliced open.
* Unseen in the episode
For the signature bake, the bakers were required to make 12flatbreads, 6 with yeast and 6 without, in2+1⁄2hours. For the technical challenge, they had to make an eight-strand plaited (braided) loaf in two hours, using a recipe from Paul. For the showstopper bake, the bakers were given four hours to make 24bagels: 12 sweet and 12 savoury.
The classictarte tatin, either sweet or savory, was set as the signature challenge, to be finished in2+1⁄2hours. Baking atreacle tartin 2 hours was set as the technical challenge by Mary Berry, with the requirement that the pastry lattice on top be woven. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to make a large designer fruit tart, fit for a window display, in less than 3 hours.
The bakers were given 3 hours to make atortewithout conventional wheat flour as the signature bake. The torte had to be more than 20 cm in diameter. Mary setcrème caramelas the technical challenge, to be finished in 2⁄4hours. A four-layeredmeringuedessert was the showstopper challenge.
The signature bake wasWellington, which Paul specified should be at least 8 inches long and completely covered with pastry. The bakers were given 3 hours for the challenge. The technical challenge was to make ahand-raised piein 2⁄4hours. This was to be made with ahot water crustand moulded using a dolly. The pie was left to set overnight and judged the next day. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to bake a family-sized sweet American-style pie in 3⁄2hours.
The bakers were challenged to make, in 2 hours, 2 different flavoured sponge puddings with different accompaniments, 6 of each. Mary set theQueen of Puddingsas the technical challenge. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to make in3+1⁄2hours one large strudel, either with sweet or savoury fillings.
For the signature bake, the bakers were set to bake 24bunsmade from an enriched dough with yeast in 3 hours. The buns should be all of the same size and evenly baked. For the technical bake, the bakers were challenged to make 10jam doughnuts, using Paul Hollywood's recipe, in 2⁄2hours. They should be consistent in size, shape, jam distribution, and colour. For the showstopper, the bakers each made a celebratory enriched-dough loaf. This challenge started straight after the technical bake, so that the dough could beproofedovernight if necessary.
The bakers were given 2 hours to make 48crackersorcrisp breadsfor their signature bake. They should be thin, evenly baked and crack when snapped in two. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to make sixchocolate teacakesin 2 hours using Paul Hollywood's recipe, a task made more difficult because the high temperature that day would not allow the chocolate to cool. For the showstopper bake, the bakers were challenged to make agingerbreadstructure, which should not be a gingerbread house, in 4 hours.
For the firstpâtisserietest, the bakers were required to make 3 types ofpetits fours, 12 of each. These should be small (each a single mouthful), exquisite and perfect. Mary set the bakers to make a Fraisier cake for the technical challenge to be done in 2⁄2hours.Choux pastrygateauwas set as the showstopper.
The finalists were set the task of making a savourypithivierin 2⁄2hours. Paul and Mary's technical challenge required 25fondant fanciesto be done in 2⁄2hours. For the final showstopper, the finalists were required to make, in 4 hours, achiffon cakebased on the theme of their personal highlights of 2012. All the bakes were served at a special summer fête held on the ground ofHarptree Court.
Four additional episodes were broadcast after the final.
John Whaitegained a first-class degree from theUniversity of Manchesterafter sitting his law exams while filming Bake Off, but he rejected a career in law and opted to take classes atLe Cordon Bleuand pursue a career in baking.His bookJohn Whaite Bakes: Recipes for Every Day and Every Moodwas published on 25 April 2013.His second book,John Whaite Bakes at Home, was published on 27 March 2014.He first set up a chocolate shop The Hungry Dog Artisan Chocolates,and opened a cookery school on his family's dairy farm in Lancashire.He also appeared as a resident chef on the ITV showLorraine,and wrote a column on food forThe Daily Telegraph.In 2016, Whaite presented withRosemary Shragera daytime cookery competitive showChopping Blockon ITV.In 2018, after six years of directing his attention on writing cookbooks, leading baking classes, and making television appearances, Whaite decided to refocus on law.
James Morton aimed for a career in medicine but has written a book on bread, titledBrilliant Bread, published on 29 August 2013.He writes a baking column for the Scottish newspaperSunday Mail.His second book,How Baking Works: ...And what to do if it doesn't, was published on 12 March 2015.
Brendan Lynch is teaching cookery classes.
Cathryn Dresser and Sarah-Jane Willis teamed up to open a stall atHorshamMarket.Dresser wrote a baking book for children and parents titledLet's Bake, published on 22 May 2014.and ranThe Little Handcross BakeryinHandcross, West Sussex between September 2014 and May 2015.
The final of this series had a record overnight figure of 6.5 million viewers, beating every other programme in other channels in its time slot.
Official episode viewing figures are fromBARB.