Bake Off 2023: Meet the Peterborough teacher and footballer hoping to take the tent by storm!

Peterborough teacher Matty Edgell has been named as one of the 12 lucky bakers that will be on screens competing to be crowned the Great British Bake Off champion this year.

The popular show will be returning to screens next week (September 26) for its 14th series, with a new hosting duo of Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.

Returning judges Prue Leith will be judging the efforts of the bakers each week, selecting one as star baker and another to unfortunately send home.

Competing this year will be Matty who is both a PE and Science teacher at Hampton College alongside playing for Stanground Sports in the Premier Division of the Peterborough League.

Matty has described himself as a “former secret baker” who loves swatting up on online patisserie videos before bed and has a ‘rustic but neat’ style. Has favourite flavours are chocolate, citrus and nuts.

He also told the program that the first bake that caught his imagination was the teddy bear cake his nan made him on his fourth birthday. All of his bakes since strive to match its impressiveness.

After the leaving the tent, however, he will be facing his most challenging bake yet, creating his own wedding cake! It was a special commission from fiancee Lara after the pair got engaged recently on a trip to Sorrento in Italy.

Matty said: “I never thought that I would be on Bake Off. My reaction was “oh **********” and then my feet went tingly.

"It was so surreal but Alison and Noel are both so nice and did such a good job at making you feel at ease and included. The first time I walked in and saw my station was really surreal and it soon became really scary when I realised I was right at the front.

"I was so naive to everything that goes into making the Bake Off.

“I think my strengths are the flavours and my weaknesses are my decorating skills.”

Matty has already received plenty of messages of support.

His club tweeted: “Stanground Sports very own Matt Edgehill is appearing on the great British bake off. We will all be supporting him and hoping he will wins. Team half times will never be the same again! Good luck Matt!”

Hampton College also tweeted: “We are very proud to announce our PE Teacher Mr Edgell will be taking part in the new series of The Great British Bake Off!

“Good Luck Mr Edgell!”

The first episode of the series will air on Channel 4 on Tuesday September 26 at 8pm where the bakers will be faced with cake week and have to produce a showstopper that features a menagerie of animals.