The Great British Bake Off is one of the biggest Autumn season UK shows, with plenty of Hollywood Handshakes and cosy goodness.
This year’s edition, series 16, is has now wrapped after a nail-biting finale. If you’re already feeling a Bake Off shaped hole in your life, we’ve rounded up everything we know about the show’s return – from the main series, to the specials.
When is Bake Off coming back?
The next full series of The Great British Bake Off/The Great British Baking Show typically airs in the Autumn.
While Channel 4 hasn’t yet confirmed a release date, September 2026 seems like a safe bet based on this year and previous ones – 2025’s release was actually slightly earlier in the month than usual.
We know that the show will be returning, because applications are now open for budding bakers across the UK.
What about The Great British Bake Off specials?
If you can’t wait until then, there’s good news: Bake Off typically has some limited episodes and series before then.
The first set will likely be the Christmas and New Year specials, which will almost certainly take place in December 2025/January 2026. No release dates or contestants have been confirmed as of yet, but typically one batch features celebs, while the other is past Bake Off alumni.
The second will almost certainly be The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand Up to Cancer. Exclusive to Channel 4, this series typically airs in the spring. Based on this year, we’d expect it to return around March 2026, with around five episodes and an all-star cast. This year’s line-up included Adam Buxton, Amelia Dimoldenberg and Chris and Rosie Ramsey.
Before then, British judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will guest star on The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday on The Roku Channel – though this may be exclusive to the US. If it is, UK viewers may be able to tune in with the help of a VPN.
This is hosted by Happy Endings actress Casey Wilson and Girls star Andrew Rannell, and the bakers will be basketball star Aaron Davis, comedian Cheri Oteri, actor Oliver Hudson and actress Janelle James.
When will The Great British Baking Show 2025 finale air on Netflix in the US?
In the US, The Great British Baking Show (as it’s known there) typically hits Netflix on Fridays, the same week episodes first air in the UK.
That is the same again for Bake Off 2025, with the final episode dropping in America on Friday 7 November 2025 at 12am PT/3am ET.
If you can’t wait until then, scroll down to the bottom of this article to see how to watch it at the same time it airs in the UK.
In these modern times, you don’t just have to watch the bakers struggle with a technical recipe the traditional way. Instead, you can watch on the Channel 4 website – live or on-demand with catch-up through a wide range of devices including smart TVs, games consoles, media streamers, phones and tablets.
Who are the Bake Off 2025 contestants?
Twelve contestants entered the tent this year. They are:
- Aaron, 38, Senior systems architect from London – Aaron fuses French patisserie with Caribbean flair, while also experimenting with different Asian flavours such as yuzu and miso
- Hassan, 30, Analytical research and development scientist from South Yorkshire – Hassan uses his scientific mindset with his baking, keeping everything precise and thorough. He’s particularly fond of praline and nut-based flavours
- Iain, 29, Software engineer from Belfast – Music lover Iain loves to add album art covers to the crust of his loaves, while blending classic favours such as fermented fruits and vegetables
- Jasmine, 23, Medical student from London – Jasmine learnt to bake with her family in the Scottish Highlands, and loves using fresh and seasonal ingredients for her bakes
- Jessika, 32, Service designer from London – Gifting bakes is Jessika’s love language, and she has an affinity for using bold flavours such as salted mango caramel and cardamom, or Jerusalem artichoke caramel with a dark chocolate mousse
- Leighton, 59, Software delivery manager from Surrey – Welshman Leighton loves to mash together flavours inspired by his home country, his current location of England and his husband’s American background – such as Welsh cakes with peanut butter
- Lesley, 59, Hairdresser from Kent – Lesley loves to serve classic bakes to all her clients at her salon, and passes on her expertise and knowledge to her Granddaughter, Mabel
- Nadia, 41, Hairdresser from Liverpool – Nadia blends Indian and Italian flavours, all with her Scouse charm. Some of her favourite dishes include pasta, roasts and a pudding
- Natalia, 32, Office assistant from East Yorkshire – Natalia was born in Ukraine and uses generational recipes to inspire her bakes, with flavours such as honey, poppy seeds, nutmeg and cinnamon
- Pui Man, 51, Bridal designer from Essex – Since learning to bake during lockdown, Pui Man focuses on ensuring her bakes are beautiful and as close to perfection as possible
- Toby, 29, Business development executive from Warwickshire – Inspired by his love for fitness, Toby prefers a healthy and stripped-back approach to baking, and loves a classic flavour
- Tom, 31, Creative entrepreneur from London – Tom learnt to bake from his mum and Danish granny, and recently reconnected with his hobby to create beautifully presented creations
Who are the presenters and judges for Bake Off 2025?
Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith are once again judging our bakers. There were rumours that Prue would retire after last series, but the judge has so far claimed that she’s only taking a break from the Celebrity edition of the show.
She explains more below:
Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond returned for presenting duties.
Where to watch Bake Off from outside the UK
As per usual, Bake Off is available through regular UK broadcast TV (or however you get your TV), airing on Channel 4.
If you want to watch from outside the UK – such as the US, where you might know it as The Great British Baking Show – then there are a couple of ways to watch the latest series.
Watch The Great British Baking Show on Netflix
Netflix US has the rights to The Great British Baking Show, and typically airs the latest episodes three days after they release in the UK.
Therefore, you can catch all the activity in the tent on Fridays, providing you have a Netflix account. Subscriptions for this start from $6.99 per month.
Watch The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 live with a VPN
If you’re worried about spoilers and want to watch the new series as soon as it airs, then there is another way: use a VPN (virtual private network) to make it appear as if your device is local if you want to watch along with the UK on the Channel 4 website.
There are loads of VPNs out there, but our top recommendations are NordVPN and Surfshark, both of which we’ve found to be reliable, speedy, and pretty affordable. If you want to see what other options are out there, then take a look at our list of the best VPNs for streaming video.
Once you’ve downloaded and installed your VPN onto your device, here’s the steps you need to take:
- Connect to a UK sever on your chosen VPN
- Sign up for an account (it’s free, but requires your email)
The Channel 4 website requires you to turn off any ad-blockers – which includes any optional ad-blocking in your VPN – so make sure you do that before trying to watch. If you still can’t connect, try a different server within your VPN until you find one that works for you.
Please note that this is against Channel 4’s terms of service, so proceed at your own risk.
How to apply to be on the GBBO
If you’re a budding baker and would like to apply for Bake Off, then applications for 2026 will likely open when the new series returns.
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