Meet The Great British Bake Off 2023 contestant Tasha, the show’s first deaf baker

The hugely popular Great British Bake Off is set to return with a 14th series on Tuesday September 26.

Launching at 8:00pm on Channel 4, it will see 12 amateur but passionate bakers battling it out in a desperate bid to win Paul Hollywood’s praise and become winner.

But this year’s series comes with a twist – presenters have taken it upon themselves to learn British Sign Language – as the show welcomes its first ever deaf contestant.

And that’s not the only difference viewers will see this year – series 14 will see popular TV personality Alison Hammond of ITV’s Good Morning fame join the star-studded cast which includes Paul Hollywood.

Who is the show’s first deaf contestant?

The lineup: Launching at 8:00pm on Channel 4 on Tuesday 26 September, Great British Bake Off will see 12 amateur but passionate bakers battling it out in a desperate bid to win

Tasha Stones is the 27-year-old making TV history as she becomes the Channel 4 hit reality show’s first ever deaf contestant. 

A participation officer from Bristol, the keen baker will be joining the show with her BSL interpreter, Daryl. 

She said: ‘When I had the Zoom call to tell me I was one of the 12, I cried. Daryl also cried. We were a mess.’ 

In order to make the show run as smoothly as possible, presenters and judges – including newest addition Alison Hammond have learned the basics of British Sign Language.

However, this proved to be an uphill battle for South African TV chef Prue Leith. While the dame boasts an OBE for her services to food, broadcasting and charity, she admitted: ‘I’m not very good at sign language, but Paul is.’

Channel 4, who took control of the Great British Bake Off after six years with BBC ensured that the Bristol native would not feel isolated among the rest of the cast.

It was also important to Tasha that the network let her bring her BSL interpreter Daryl come on her Bake Off journey with her. 

Tasha said: ‘It was a big moment when Noel introduced not only Alison but also Daryl as part of the line-up. Seeing Daryl up at the front and feeling full part of the show was a really special moment. I couldn’t have done it without him’.

Why is Alison Hammond joining the star-studded cast?

Fans were treated to a first look of The Great British Bake Off last month as new host Alison Hammond joined the tent alongside Noel Fielding.

It was confirmed earlier this year that the This Morning presenter, 48, would be replacing Little Britain’s Matt Lucas, 49, on the beloved Channel 4 programme following his departure.  

It comes after new Great British Bake Off co-host Alison revealed that not a single slice of cake was involved in her audition for the role.

To see whether she was good enough for the job, Alison was asked by producers to chat with strangers at a garden centre, with no sweet treats in sight.

Shedding light on her audition, she shared: ‘They made me interview random strangers, to obviously see if I’m good with different people. It was a weird audition’.