The bakers of The Great British Bake Off started out from different pursuits in life. But ever since they tasted fame on the show, many of them have become full-time culinary and baking professionals. Needless to say, the show’s popularity ensures that they have a good social media following on Instagram.
In some cases, the Instagram followers of some ex-contestants have drastically increased also because of their side pursuits. For instance, John Whaite has also dabbled in a dance reality show while Nadiya Hussain is a best-selling author and TV personality when she’s not busy baking. At the same time, some of these Great British Bake Off alumni also get time to post personal updates about their lives.
Laura Adlington - 204K Followers
One of the most quotable Great British Bake Off bakers, Season 11 finalist Laura Adlington’s Instagram is filled with the culinary treats she comes up with as well as photos of herself with her friends. Most of the time, she seems to be in her chirpy, merry self which can put a smile on her fans’ faces. At the same time, Adlington also occasionally uses the platform to address issues like body shaming, diet culture, plus-size fashion, and so on.
This is reflected in detailed captions where she offers her views on something that she recently read or general opinions on life. Such posts might also positively motivate some fans to love themselves and their bodies.
Giuseppe Dell'Anno - 217K Followers
Hailing from Italy, Giuseppe Dell’Anno (popularly known as just Giuseppe) settled in the UK after being crowned as the Season 11 winner of The Great British Bake Off. Giuseppe regularly posts on Instagram about the new recipes that he has come up with. His Insta also includes wholesome memories from his everyday life.
For instance, his recent posts include the time he spent with his great-aunt making pizza-pies. Then, there is another one that finds him posing against a TV screen broadcasting his first-ever appearance on Italian television. As fans would scroll down, they would find many such genuine moments.
Ruby Bhogal - 240K Followers
Season 9 runner-up Ruby Bhogal’s Instagram consists of her tryst with food as well as other day-to-day activities. Her captions usually detail her stream of thoughts and add a more personal touch for the fans. Be it her first cup of coffee in the day or a pottery workshop that she ended, Bhogal is great with descriptions. As for the visual content, there is no dearth of aesthetic food shots too.
Even the food-related posts are equally detailed with the captions getting into the depths of not just the recipes but also the concept behind them. Just check out the cakes inspired by Edvard Munch’s “Scream” or Vincent Van Gogh’s “A Starry Night” as examples.
Peter Sawkins - 244K Followers
Peter Sawkins’ Insta account is christened after his recent book Peter Bakes, which the youngest GBBO winner has also been promoting on his social media. Photos with friends, both old and new, also fill up his feed alongside important events such as how he became an Honorary Burgess of the City of Edinburgh.
And then, needless to say, the Insta grids of @peter_bakes include lots and lots of cakes. The recipes include classics from The Great British Bake Off as well as new ones. He details the cooking process behind the sweet treats in some of his Reels which are yet again extremely satisfying to watch.
Candice Brown - 272K Followers
Season 7 winner Candice Brown’s Instagram includes her daily shenanigans with food and the events where she gets to show off her cooking skills. Occasional posts are also centered on breast cancer awareness in collaboration with the London-based charity Coppafeel.
The rest of her Instagram profile covers other ventures such as the signing events and promotions for her book Happy Cooking. Another heart-melting member who appears in her social media is Sybil, a rescue dog whom Brown adopted a few years back.
John Whaithe - 307K Followers
Apart from the usual “cake posting”, John Whaite’s Instagram is presently flooded with his dancing prowess. The Season 3 winner also contested in the dancing reality show Strictly Come Dancing. So, many of his photographs and videos offer a behind-the-scenes look at his stint with the show as well as an accompanying dance tour. Whaite's dancing partner Johannes Radebe also features occasionally in these posts.
Apart from his cooking and dancing, Whaite also uses the platform to upload his music covers. Often found with an acoustic guitar strung across his neck, his Insta covers include the likes of Taylor Swift's "Lover" and Joni Mitchell's "River".
Kim-Joy Hewlett- 354K Followers
Kim-Joy was the second runner-up in Season 9. Since then, she has released two cookbooks and she continues her food adventures as documented on Instagram. Her recent cake posts stand out because of their creative and eye-popping designs. One can expect creatures like owls, turkeys, penguins, frogs, and many more adorned with icing and coloring.
Some of her cake designs are also festival-specific with Kim-Joy baking special offerings for Halloween, Day of the Dead, and Christmas. Apart from offering glimpses from her books, she also shares content related to a card game called Kim-Joy’s Magic Bakery.
Rahul Mandal - 374K Followers
Dr. Rahul Mandal was an engineering researcher before being one of the first 10 winners of The Great British Bake Off. Apart from baking, the Season 9 winner has also been involved in educational campaigns in the UK. However, his Instagram mostly focuses on his cooking reels where he shows off cakes with some intense detailing.
Other posts include wholesome encounters with close ones, including his family in India, a friend’s cat, and fellow GBBO baker Ruby Bhogal. His humble personality comes out from the fact that he Instagrams a lot of his everyday activities without any brand promotions or scripted captions. So, fans can find him showing off his latest recipe in a magazine or him just strolling with Star Wars cosplayers on the street.
Edd Kimber - 395K Followers
Edd Kimber aka “The Boy Who Bakes” was the winner of the inaugural season of The Great British Bake Off. So, it is obvious that he also amasses a huge following on Instagram. His grid is filled with the cakes, and cookies that he ends up baking, sometimes with photos of him posing with his culinary creations.
Like many other fellow Great British Bake Off contestants, he is also an author and so, some of his posts touch upon his book One Tin Bakes. Other than the sweet stuff, Kimber’s Instagram also finds him experimenting with savory foods such as pizza and focaccia.
Nadiya Hussain - 842K Followers
Nadiya Hussain won Season 6 and became arguably the most popular GBBO winner since her win. Attracting a whopping number of 842,000 followers, she regularly posts on Instagram about her cooking, books, and media appearances. Hussain has been vastly successful in the latter two pursuits too, even dabbling in fiction and children’s writing and starring in her own cooking shows.
Family also plays a major part in her life as can be seen from the posts hyping up her husband, parents, and children. Apart from her giving glimpses of her personal and professional life, Hussain also uses Instagram for posts related to humanitarian campaigns on education and healthcare.