Bake Off's 'Cake Boy' was pipped in LGBT competition

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The Bake Off's youngest baker - known as 'Cake Boy' - is aiming the win the TV title but he wasn't even the best in his class after losing his school's LGBT competition.

Liam Charles, 19, was runner up in the inaugural Great Rainbow Bake Off at Stoke Newington School in north London in 2015.

Students were asked to create a baked treat celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender history month but Liam’s wasn’t considered the best.

Liam, who is known as 'Cake Boy' among university friends, made a spectacular double chocolate cake with chocolate shards and cream on top.

But he was defeated by a classmate's pink triangle cake - a symbol worn by persecuted gay men and lesbian women in Nazi concentration camps - in a competition that included a 'Lesbians Do Exist' gateau and iced 'genderbread people'.

Liam Charles, 19, was runner up in the inaugural Great Rainbow Bake-off competition at Stoke Newington School in north London in 2015

Liam Charles, 19, was runner up in the inaugural Great Rainbow Bake-off competition at Stoke Newington School in north London in 2015

Liam, who is known as 'Cake Boy' among university friends, made a spectacular double chocolate cake with chocolate shards and cream on top

Liam, who is known as 'Cake Boy' among university friends, made a spectacular double chocolate cake with chocolate shards and cream on top

The icing on the cake: Fans received a taste of what's to come on the revamped series on Monday, as this year's Great British Bake Off contestants were unveiled (above) 

The icing on the cake: Fans received a taste of what's to come on the revamped series on Monday, as this year's Great British Bake Off contestants were unveiled (Liam pictured fourth from the left)

Hackney-born Liam believes that baking is a universal language that can bring people together from all walks of life.

The 19-year-old also wants to make the hobby acceptable among his peers and the younger generation. 

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With a trainee stunt-woman, a health and safety inspector who dabbles in yoga, and the oldest ever contestant at 71 years old, this year's 12 bakers are some of the most eccentric to date - making the beloved series' reboot all the more exciting. 

Next week viewers will be introduced to a number of quirky characters on the 2017 series - including a software developer who has survived cancer, a former Officer in the Royal Artillery and a balding banker. 

The new series of The Great British Bake Off has the 'highest standard' of bakers the show has ever seen, Paul Hollywood has said.

The TV judge has also revealed that in one week he gave out four of his 'Hollywood handshakes' - his ultimate, and rare, sign of approval.

The 19-year-old, pictured putting out his cupcakes, also wants to make the hobby acceptable among his peers and the younger generation

The 19-year-old, pictured putting out his cupcakes, also wants to make the hobby acceptable among his peers and the younger generation

Liam is the youngest baker on this year's show and is among the favourites according to the bookies Liam is the youngest baker on this year's show and is among the favourites according to the bookies

Liam is the youngest baker on this year's show and is among the favourites according to the bookies

Liam didn't win his class competition but his Rainbow Explosion cake could also have been a good entry for the LGBT history month event

Liam didn't win his class competition but his Rainbow Explosion cake could also have been a good entry for the LGBT history month event

Hollywood, who is the only returning star of the baking show following its shift from BBC One to Channel 4, said he was 'amazed' at how good this year's contestants were.

'Every single week this year has been better than any others we've done,' he said.

'The standard of the baking this year was annoyingly good. I mean that in a nice way because there were just like, 'how did you do that? Where did you people come from?'.'

Liam's cake here is called 'My Cheeky Summer' and appears to create food under the name 'Cheeky Treats'

Liam's cake here is called 'My Cheeky Summer' and appears to create food under the name 'Cheeky Treats'

He said the contestants impressed in the tent with 'new techniques, new flavours, new ideas'.

'They've really gone to town on finding out how to do things properly,' he added.

Sandi Toksvig, who presents the series with Noel Fielding, added: 'The wonderful thing is, when they've finished judging and the cameras have stopped rolling, the four of us are still sitting at the table eating because some of it is so delicious.'

Fielding added: 'The standard has been so high on this show, so they often know when they've made a mistake. It's fascinating.'

He also shared his surprise at how 'natural' the contestants were while being filmed.

'It's astonishing how unfazed by cameras they are,' he said. 'They're all pretty natural in front of the camera.'

New chapter: Bake Off shocked fans by announcing the move to Channel 4 in September - after Love Productions agreed a three-year £75 million deal with the rival broadcasters

New chapter: Bake Off shocked fans by announcing the move to Channel 4 in September - after Love Productions agreed a three-year £75 million deal with the rival broadcasters

Having such a high quality of bakers proved tricky at times for the judges, though, with Bake Off stalwart Hollywood admitting it has been tougher than ever before.

Bake Off 2017: The odds

Julia - 5/1

Steven - 6/1

Liam - 7/1

Tom - 7/1

Yan - 7/1

Chris - 9/1  

James - 10/1

Kate - 10/1

Peter - 10/1

Stacey - 10/1

Sophie - 12/1

Flo - 16/1

Courtesy of William Hill 

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He said: 'I gave out four handshakes once, one week. That's never happened again, so I've moved the bar up again.'

New judge Prue Leith said it was fortunate that 'everybody makes mistakes', otherwise judging would have sometimes been near impossible.

'I was amazed... I mean, it's so real, I think that's what surprised me,' she said.

'The whole point of Bake Off is to find the best amateur bakers and so they are absolutely fixed on their baking.

'It's as if they're not in a television show. They just want to produce the best stuff and it must be quite hard when we're walking around interrupting them and talking to them, but they just keep at it.'

Hollywood said: 'This year's final, the standard was exceptional, and for us it's the hardest judging I've ever been involved in.'

The winner of the series will join the ranks of previous Bake Off champions including Candice Brown and Nadiya Hussain. 

                  THE BOYS - PETER

NAME: Peter

AGE: 52

WHO IS HE? Born in Brixton originally, IT programme manager Peter had a well-travelled youth

He lived in Nigeria from the age of seven and moved back to the United Kingdom when he was 24. He has a wife, Tito and two children - Temi and Toni

He was bitten by the baking bug eight years ago when he started making his own bread. He reckons one of his specialities a melt-in-your-mouth Macaron, based on a recipe from French pastry maestro Pierre Hermes

When he's not kneading dough he loves running on the beach, spinning, playing chess and badminton in his stomping ground of Essex

BOOKIES ODDS:  10/1 

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                   CHRIS 

NAME: Chris

AGE: 50

WHO IS HE? A software developer who loves the science behind baking and developing quirky flavour combinations

He is a cancer survivor and passionate about helping other people whose lives have been affected by the disease

He is married (his wife's name is Catherine), and he loves sailing, travelling (especially visiting bakeries) and writing

BOOKIES ODDS: 9/1

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                STEVEN 

NAME: STEVEN

AGE: 34

WHO IS HE? Despite having a background in marketing, Steven's heart lies in the kitchen

His mum, Judi, has been his cooking mentor. He cooks and bakes all of his own food and has lost an impressive five stone thanks to his own home-cooking

He likes putting a twist on recipes from his mum's old cookbooks

BOOKIES ODDS: 6/1 

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                                JAMES 

NAME: James 

AGE: 46

WHO IS HE? James describes himself as a bald, baking banker - but his friends say he looks more like a bank robber than a banker

He was taught to bake by his father more than 40 years ago and grows his own fruit and vegetables to incorporate into his recipes

James lives in Essex with his wife Ann, sons Oliver and Ethan and their three chickens: Sparkles, Superman and Jeff

BOOKIES ODDS: 10/1

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                    LIAM 

NAME: Liam

AGE: 19

WHO IS HE? Hackney-born Liam has been baking for four years and is fondly known as the 'Cake Boy' amongst his university friends

He believes that baking is a universal language that can bring people together from all walks of life, and he wants to make it acceptable among his peers and the younger generation

BOOKIES ODDS: 7/1 

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                     TOM 

NAME: Tom 

AGE: 29

WHO IS HE? Architect Tom lives in Edinburgh with his partner David, where he can often be found making fresh shortbread for family and friends

Baking has always been a huge part of family life for Tom and his siblings, who were taught to bake by their mother, a home economics teacher

The family cherishes recipe books passed down by grandparents from both sides of the family

BOOKIES ODDS: 7/1 

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                     THE GIRLS - KATE 

 

NAME: Kate

AGE: 29

WHO IS SHE? A health and safety inspector from Merseyside, Kate also dabbles in blacksmithing, furniture restoration and yoga. She also loves the outdoors

When she's indoors however, indulging in her love of baking, she is a fan of "old-fashioned" baking techniques

She taught herself to bake when she began to grow her own vegetables two years ago

BOOKIES ODDS: 10/1 

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                                   FLO 

NAME: Flo

AGE: 71

WHO IS SHE? Flo, from Merseyside, is retired and the oldest amateur contestant to appear on Bake Off to date

She was one of 11 children and was raised in Huyton, Liverpool

She met her late husband Richard when she was 21 years old and working at a sausage factory

Following Richard's death two years ago, her son Stephen encouraged her to take up baking. She bakes treats for his restaurant when she's not baking for the family - or 'having a boogie' with friends

BOOKIES ODDS: 16/1 

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                     YAN 

NAME: Yan 

AGE: 46

WHO IS SHE?  Hong Kong-born Yan moved to the UK when she was two

She started to bake seriously 10 years ago when she found herself in between 24 hour shifts, working as a molecular biologist for the NHS

Currently working as a laboratory research scientist, Yan now lives in north London with her wife, Marian and cat Kacey

BOOKIES ODDS: 7/1 

 

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                  SOPHIE 

NAME: Sophie 

AGE: 33

WHO IS SHE? A former Officer in the Royal Artillery, Sophie did not discover her talent for baking until she volunteered to make a friend's birthday cake

The psychology graduate, who lives in Surrey with her boyfriend and a cat named Loki, has also developed a passion for patisserie

When she is not baking, Sophie enjoys track cycling, rowing, teaching military boot camps and is also training to be a stunt woman

BOOKIES ODDS:  12/1

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STACEY

NAME: Stacey 

AGE: 42

WHO IS SHE?  Former school teacher Stacey has fond memories of helping her grandmother make bread and butter pudding when she was a little girl

She really started to bake seriously while studying at University

Stacey likes to incorporate her Jewish heritage into her baking, with a traditional homemade Challah with every Friday night dinner

BOOKIES ODDS: 10/1 

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                  JULIA 

NAME: Julia

AGE: 32

WHO IS SHE? Julia has spent three years honing her baking prowess so she could enter Bake Off

She is originally from Kemerovo, Siberia

She met her husband Matt while on holiday in Turkey as a 17-year-old

BOOKIES ODDS: 5/1 

 

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