Great British Bake Off GBBO Nelly Dorset

Bake Off is back – and we’ll be rooting for self-taught baker Nelly, who grew up in Slovakia, moved to Austria to study nursing and has lived in the UK for 19 years. Now based in Dorset with her husband and two young boys, Nelly loves using the flavours of Slovakian cuisine along with spices representing her husband’s Pakistani heritage, so we’re looking forward to some brilliant bakes. Go Nelly!

Here’s what the 44-year old palliative care assistant has to say about her experience on the show.

Finding out she made it through to Bake Off

I got the call when I was picking up my sons from school at lunch time so I couldn’t talk then. I was so nervous to call them back but I sat down in my car and got the news!

On meeting Alison and Noel

Alison was very friendly and welcomed us with open arms and made us relaxed. Noel was just Noel, funny in his own way, open and welcoming, too. They both are truly such honest people.

What was it like going into the big white tent for the first time?

Like a dream. I never would think in my whole life that one day it would be me who walked down the pathway to the bench. I cannot believe this has happened to me!

Was it daunting being filmed while baking?

Where there cameras? No waaaay! You are so into baking that you completely forget about the cameras and in the tent there is no time to think about it.

Strengths?

My strength is my joy. I take everything in my life as it comes and turn it to something positive. If a cake goes wrong I will improvise and always fix it somehow. Buttercream is a great invention!

Weaknesses?

Decorations and finesse.

If you were a cake would you be?

I look like a well-raised scone, so the question is first jam or cream?

Favourite snack whilst watching TV?

Good shortcake biscuits, a nice piece of cake or crisps.

One fact about being in the tent that you didn’t realise?

How many hard-working people are behind it and how many hours of hard work they squeeze into a one-hour programme. It’s incredible how they all work together. The tent is full of people and cameras but at home it just looks like bakers baking.

Catch Nelly on The Great British Bake Off from Tuesday 24 Sept, Channel 4 at 8pm.

The Great British Bake Off: meet Dorset baker Nelly

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