The Great British Bake Off semi-final sees ninth baker eliminated

Business development executive Toby has become the ninth contestant to leave The Great British Bake Off after being eliminated during the semi-final.

During Tuesday’s episode of the Channel 4 show the bakers were asked to make cream horns for the signature challenge, a sugar-glass dome for the technical and a macaron sculpture for the showstopper.

Jasmine was announced star baker and joins Aaron and Tom in the final next week.

Toby, 29, from Warwickshire said: “It’s tough to come back from serving a puddle of mousseline… I had a good comeback today… It’s the good bits that I find hard to talk about.

“The best thing of being in the tent is definitely the people. The handshake was good, the star baker was good, but yeah the people were the best bit.”

Judge Paul Hollywood said: “It took a while for Prue and I to discuss everything. It goes to show how tight things are on Bake Off. It came down to that one mistake and that unfortunately was the downfall of Toby.”

Dame Prue Leith said: “I think Toby in a way was our least confident baker when we started. He has learned so much. He’s a really talented baker.”

Reflecting on the experience, Toby said: “I was expecting it, to be honest.

“After the technical puddle I knew it would take something incredible to pull it back, and as close as it was, my showstopper just didn’t quite cut it.

“I felt so overwhelmed with emotion after the announcement and as my post judging interview will have showed I really struggled to hold it together in any shape.

“As soon as Tom looked at me with teary eyes, he set me off.

“I was obviously gutted to hear my name as there was a slight glimmer of hope after I managed to pull off a completely reimagined showstopper but overall I just felt so proud of myself.”

The baker, who grew up in the seaside town of Sidmouth with his three siblings, said he feels “so much more confident” in himself following his time on the show.

Discussing the future, he added: “I’d just love to keep doing this in any capacity.

“I think for now I’ll take any opportunity to bake for people online or in person and one day… maybe far in the future, I’d love to have my own bakeware line of high-quality items, accessible to amateur bakers.”

Toby will join presenters Jo Brand and Tom Allen on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday on Channel 4 at 8pm.