Kate Barmby has become the fourth contestant to leave The Great British Bake Off after taking a battering during the BBC programme’s first ever batter week.
The 37-year-old nurse said that she has not “completely humiliated” herself, but admitted that she “would have felt better” had she not gone out at this stage of the competition.
She said: “There have been some fantastic bakes in amongst some of the shocking ones. It’s fine, I am not going to cry because it’s over because I am going to get to see who finishes this journey.
“I would have felt better if I hadn’t come out on batter week, as I had two good weeks previously. I know I got nearly halfway through but on a personal point to get so close it is still a bit raw. But you have to pick yourself up and carry on.”
Kate said that her life will not change too much following her Bake Off experience, and that she wants to carry on nursing.
She added: “I haven’t quite decided which way I want to take my baking. I love cake art and design, and I want to pursue that creative aspect of my baking.”
Kate and the other eight bakers were given three all-new challenges in the tent, having to create 24 identical savoury Yorkshire puddings for the Signature bake, 12 uniform lace pancakes in the Technical and a Showstopper of 36 sweet fried Spanish churros with dipping sauces.
Kate kicked off her batter week by creating Christmas dinner Yorkshire puddings, filled with turkey and cranberry sauce.
Judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry were pleased with her flavours but remarked on the poor and “irregular” bake of her Yorkshire puddings.
Kate came in seventh place in the Technical challenge, her lace heart-shaped pancakes failing to impress.
Her Showstopper creation was the final nail in the coffin, as her bunny rabbit-shaped churros – flavoured with a variety of spices and dusted with spiced sugar and complemented with chocolate custard – did not have the desired effect.
Paul said her attempt at bunnies looked “a bit sad” and “flat, like they’ve been run over”, before stating that he was unable to eat them.
Mary added they were “beautifully crisp, but totally impregnated with oil”.
Paul commented that Kate was not “the weakest baker” of the group, but over the batter-making weekend, she was and “that’s how Bake Off works”.
Star Baker of the week was 23-year-old teaching assistant Benjamina Ebuehi.
She was crowned the champion of the Technical challenge and her coconut-flavoured Showstopper churros with a passion fruit and mango dipping sauce were deemed “beautiful” by the judges.
The Great British Bake Off returns on Wednesday at 8pm on BBC One. Barmby will join Jo Brand on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday September 16 at 9.30pm on BBC Two.
