Top 5: Great British Baking Show Contestants

If there’s one thing that can salvage the shipwreck that is 2020, it’s a Victoria sponge. With its latest season airing on Netflix now, “The Great British Baking Show” (or “The Great British Bake Off” if you’re feeling extra Tory) might be the only good thing to come out of this year. Thanks to one new host, one undisclosed location, and one Prue Leith promising — yet again — to judge extra hard this time around, viewers are sure to experience the tent in ways they never have before. Be that as it may, it’s reassuring to know that some things will never change. To rekindle that sense of nostalgia, and satiate your incurable sweet tooth, revisit the Top 5 Great British Baking Show Contestants of all time.

5. Val (Series 7)

Ah, Val. Who doesn’t love Val? Trick question — everyone loves Val. From her quirky “I’m listening to my sponge” dance to her interpretive “I’m watching my cake bake in the oven” dance, Val is the personification of wholesomeness in the flesh. Her unfaltering positivity and warmth can melt even the iciest of judge Paul Hollywood’s “Bread Week” glares. Humanity as a whole would benefit from more people like Val.

4. Kim-Joy (Series 9)

If you like splashes of color and eccentricity, you are almost certainly familiar with the enigma that is Kim-Joy. Bubbly and always smiling, she has captivated the hearts — or at least the attention — of millions, all while being unapologetically herself. Most of her signature bakes turned out to be so great precisely because of that unconventionality. So if you personally identify with being beautifully weird, you should hit up her YouTube channel. Just don’t mention chocolate mousse… she will cry at you.

3. Selasi (Series 7)

Out of the abundance of joy that series 7 has bestowed upon us, this baker just might be one of its best. The epitome of steezy, Selasi never failed to dial up the spice while maintaining a cool and level head. His charisma and borderline flirtatious attitude (in a detached and minimal effort kind of way, of course) got him as far as the semi-finals. He exited the tent, but in our memories he remains victorious.

2. Liam (Series 8)

Is your pocket feeling a little light these days? If so, you can always put Liam in it. The innocent and all too relatable baker is sure to have made you go “uwu” at some point. The whole baking community took a collective moment of silence when he was eliminated in the quarterfinals, but quickly recovered after seeing him revived on numerous other media platforms post-GBBS fame. From student baker enthusiasts to lonely nanas who miss their grandbabies, Liam is a sweetheart loved and cherished by all ages.

1. Nadiya (Series 6)

And the Star Baker goes to… you guessed it: Nadiya. One of the most iconic and successful women to come out with the crystalline platter, Nadiya is a universally cherished figure in the GBBS community at large. Her modesty and self-criticism had her fans rooting for her victory, and her practical approach to baking kept them sticking around for her Netflix miniseries, “Nadiya's Time to Eat.” If the stacks of credentials alone are not enough to earn your respect, behold and wonder at the impressive range of facial control she exhibited over the course of the show (especially when being directed at Paul Hollywood).