Tuesday 22 October 2013

'It was complete and utter shock': Frances

Quinn wins The Great British Bake Off with rainbow picnic pie and eight-flavour wedding cake

PUBLISHED: 20:55, 22 October 2013 | UPDATED: 21:28, 22 October 2013

The Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn says she was in 'complete and utter shock' after being crowned victor of the TV show.

Children's clothes designer Quinn, 31, beat former model Ruby Tandoh, 21, and psychologist Kimberley Wilson, 30, in the hotly anticipated BBC Two final.

The amateur baker wowed judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry with a rainbow-style savoury picnic pie and showstopper three-tier wedding cake, inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, on tonight's show.

Talented: Frances Quinn has been declared the winner of The Great British Bake Off

Towering: Francis impresses with her three-tied cake featuring ginger and rhubarb tier

Champion: Frances beat off competition from Ruby and Kimberley much to her surprise

But she said it had been hard to keep her win under wraps for so long following the pre-recorded last episode.

'I've been back at work and trying to keep a poker face,' Quinn said.

'I remember watching the Wimbledon final the following week and getting so emotional... and thinking at least Andy Murray doesn't have to hide his trophy under his bed for the next three months.

Competitors: Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry pose with Frances Quinn, Ruby Tandoh and Kimberley Wilson

The final three: Kimberley, Ruby and Francis enjoy an embrace for they begin their final challenges

'I'm looking forward to being able to celebrate with my incredibly close family and friends.'

Quinn dismissed reports about chemistry between Hollywood and Tandoh, who was crowned star baker three times, saying: 'We were not thinking about any of that in there... There was no flirtation.'

But she admitted there was some flirtation elsewhere in the Bake Off tent.

'We (the contestants) were each flirting with each other if we needed to, for more parchment paper or another spoon if they were still being washed up out the back,' she admitted.

Group shot: Frances posed up with Paul and Mary and her all important reward

Quinn, who decorated her wedding cake with edible confetti made from beetroot, mango, rhubarb and sweet potato, said she had a rest from baking after winning the show.

'I thought my blood sugar levels would go through the roof. I had a bit of a sabbatical,' she said.
Quinn has been approached by agents and wants to produce a coffee table book.

'I don't know what the future is going to hold but it does excite me,' she said. 'What I'd love to do is combine both passions, baking and design.

The time has come: Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry had a hard task ahead of them as the show kicked off

Nervous: Francis struggled with nerves as the first task started

Result: Francis presented a rainbow picnic pie in the first challenge

'The baking market is completely saturated so I don't want to do a book that's anything like one that's already out there. I'd like to create a book that's got all my rough sketches and ideas.'

Quinn, who lives in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, said she was not considering leaving her design job any time yet - but any extra cash on the back of her success will go down well.

'I'd start to get a bit more furniture in my house. The kitchen looks very well stocked but the rest of the house, not so much,' she said. 'But forget millionaires, it's going to be about creating more millionaire shortbreads.

Let's go: Kimberley made a chicken and pig pie for the first challenge

Reflective: As per usual Ruby wasn't particularly confident about her skills

Support: Ruby found she had Sue on hand for support during the first challenge

Rare smile: Ruby relaxed a little bit when she realised she had managed to create layers

'Work has been so, so supportive. I'm not going to say yea or nay to anything at the moment. I've got a mortgage to pay.'

Quinn said she could not believe her ears when the judges announced she had won the fourth series of the show, which has seen viewing figures rocket and is set to move to BBC1 next year.

'I don't think I could speak for a little while. It was complete and utter shock. It was so close, such a close final,' she said. 'I think it was the wedding cake at the end that really did swing it.'

Quinn, who had been criticised by the judges for style over substance, said she was persuaded to apply for Bake Off by family and friends.

Second challenge: The contestants had to make pretzels for the technical challenge

Winner: Kimberley impressed with her pretzel and won the second challenge

Struggle: Ruby complained that she couldn't remember what a pretzel looked like

She added: 'I had thought of applying. But it was just, I didn't know whether I was good enough or whether I wanted that exposure. I didn't know whether I should go about it in my own way.'

She insisted there was no antagonism between the all-women finalists.

'We all get on. People want to feel there was more competition than was the case. The emotions you go through in that tent, you never want to see anyone get that criticism. Outside the tent we're just supportive of each other.

Not enough: Ruby's wedding cake was lacking in the flavour it needed

Presentation: Kimberley was let down with the decoration on her wedding cake

Upset: Ruby once again breaks down in tears after her cake isn't quite the success she hoped

Off: Paul told Ruby that the colours of her cake didn't quite work

'It's a reality show but we know the actual reality that went on.'

She said of the judges: 'We didn't really have that much time to spend with them. We got to know (presenters) Mel and Sue a lot more. A lot of people said that the judges were quite severe with their criticism but I took it as constructive.'

Quinn's savoury pie contained two types of trout and five different vegetables, while her wedding cake consisted of ginger and rhubarb, lemon sponge and raspberries and a third tier of carrot, orange, pistachio and apricot.

Deliberating: The judges sit down with Mel and Sue to discuss how they have fared over the competition

Prestigious: Frances was able to walk away with the coveted Bake Off stand

1 comment:

gopipatel11 September 2019 at 21:56
most wonderfull Article, Thanks for sharing!
The Great British Bake
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