Features

The stagey lives of this year's Great British Bake Off candidates

Turns out some bakers have a stagey past

| London |

30 September 2020

Lottie Bedlow
© Mark Bourdillon, Love Productions

Sweeney Todd, Waitress, Toast – baking and the stage have had a lengthy and lucrative relationship.

So we're more than obsessed with the return of The Great British Bake Off, which hit TV screens this month. Providing audiences with a much-needed amuse-bouche of quaint British boulangerie expertise, it features whimsical banter from hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas plus judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood.

But did you know that some of the contests have a background on/ around the stage?

First of all, there's digital manager Laura who, when not volunteering for the Samaritans, is a major lover of all things musical theatre and has seen / performed in shows across her life.

According to her (admittedly baking heavy) Instagram, she even caught Cabaret at the Marlowe Theatre last March and Wicked a few weeks before that. Furthermore, she also saw Dear Evan Hansen in its opening week – a hot ticket by all accounts! Oh, and did it even need (kneed) to be said – of course, she indulged a slice of baking extravaganza Waitress in 2019.

Her versions of Freddie Mercury's head may be somewhat unorthodox, but her taste in stage shows is bang on.

Secondly there's Lottie Bedlow, who (spoilers!) earned a special handshake from Paul Hollywood last week after her impressive florentines.

While she may be a master crafter of baked goods, she's also a fine theatre creator, currently working as a production coordinator at Anton Benson Productions.

Overseeing ABP pantos in 2018 and 2019 (oh YEAST she did!) with stars such as Kerry Katona, Bedlow has experience as a production co-ordinator at the prestigious Hampstead Theatre in north London from 2015 to 2017, and before that was an administrative assistant for hit producer Bill Kenwright.

Whether or not Bedlow will remain in the theatre profession after the series or be snatched up by the baking community, only time (thyme?) will tell!

Music teacher Rowan, known for his extravagant designs, channelled his theatricality into his ambitious bust of Marie Antoinette and a Magic Flute-inspired bake. He's said to be a major theatre and opera nut.

And lest (zest) we forget Lucas, who recently completed a new stint in Les Misérables in the West End.