Heartbreaking Moments Faced By The Cast Of The Great British Baking Show

Since its 2010 premiere, "The Great British Baking Show" has celebrated the trials and triumphs of the U.K.'s greatest home bakers. Watching amateur bakers go to battle inside a tent pitched in the English countryside doesn't seem like a riveting concept, but it was a runaway hit from the start. The reason for that is simple: Us viewers didn't get swept away simply by watching people bake and get judged for it, we fell in love with the contestants and hosts as people. For the hosts and contestants alike, life behind "The Great British Baking Show" has had some heartbreaking moments.

What makes this competitive journey so sweet is the humanity behind the craft. In every season of "The Great British Baking Show," we get to know contestants who — for the most part — lead earnest, albeit ordinary lives. Often, we are also granted a glimpse into the personal hardships these bakers have endured. Other times, we learn about these difficult moments after a contestant has completed their run on "The Great British Baking Show."

Heartbreaking stories about beating the odds or navigating scandal extends to the ever-changing lineup of hosts of "The Great British Baking Show" as well. In their own right, the show's hosting changes have had an emotional impact behind the scenes. Here are the moments that really pulled on our heartstrings.

Fan favorite Luis Troyano was living life to the fullest after his appearance on "The Great British Baking Show" in 2014. Not long after filming wrapped, the runner-up opened a bakery called The Hive in his native Stockport, a northern town outside of Manchester. In 2015, Troyano published his cookbook, "Bake it Great." He also appeared on other British TV programs including the kids show, "Hacker Time." In October 2020, after living with esophageal cancer for at least a year, Troyano passed away. He was 48 years old.

In March 2019, Troyano spoke publicly about his cancer diagnosis on X (formerly Twitter) while also praising the fundraising efforts of "The Great British Baking Show" through their annual celebrity "Stand Up to Cancer" series. "#GBBO #StandUpToCancer is outstanding and touching. Last October I was diagnosed with cancer. Just finished 8 weeks of phase 1 chemo @TheChristieNHS to get a grip of it."

In early May 2019 Troyano posted an update on X, "Just 9 days ago I was admitted to @SalfordRoyalNHS to have a major operation to remove my cancer and rearrange my insides due to the damage it caused. Today I'm going home. Thank you to the incredible team in Salford who worked tirelessly to achieve that. Never doubt @NHSuk". After a period of remission, Troyano died in October 2020. His widow, Louise continues to fundraise for East Cheshire Hospice, where Troyano spent his final weeks.

The transition of "The Great British Baking Show" from airing on BBC to Channel 4 in 2016 resulted in a major shakeup of the original cast of hosts and judges, and also caused damage to the real-life friendships between them. Judge Paul Hollywood was the only original cast member to stay on after the Channel 4 move — something that's been met with scrutiny, secrecy, and a few choice words from one of the show's former hosts.

Rumors swirled that former judge Mary Berry was leaving the show because of conflict with Hollywood, however, Berry has insisted this was not the reason for her departure. Instead, her decision was out of loyalty to the BBC and that was she never asked to make the move to Channel 4 because she avoided meeting with the network's executives. Former co-hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc also pledged allegiance to BBC, but Perkins' view on the situation wasn't as rosy as Berry's.

Speaking to the "Table Manners" podcast in 2020, Perkins said of Hollywood, "He was really good fun and stuff happened that made us incredibly sad and incredibly hurt ... I'm devastated about what happened ... I just feel that talking about it is just really uncool and you start pointing the finger and then you become as bad as everybody else." Giedroyc, who was also part of the podcast episode, agreed with Perkins' statements but didn't elaborate further.

British comedian Noel Fielding joined the tent as co-host in 2017 and has been there ever since. Fielding brought a goofy, sardonic energy to the show, as well as a fashion angle that upset some fans. Fielding's high-end sweaters and bold-patterned button downs are just barely outdone by judge Prue Leith's masterful power clashing and technicolor accessories. One's sartorial expressions are often indicative of lifestyle choices, and in Fielding's case, his heeled Chelsea boots and guyliner are lingering markers of the rock and roll lifestyle he left behind.

Those familiar with early aughts-era Fielding thought he was an odd casting choice for a family show. When fellow bad boy comic and former party pal Russell Brand heard the news, he suggested any baked goods in Fielding's vicinity should be screened for drugs. In his art school days, Fielding drank so heavily he developed alcohol-induced hepatitis. As he rose to fame with "The Mighty Boosh," the comedy duo he co-created with Julian Barratt, Fielding became a fixture of London's notorious drug-fueled party scene. The tabloids alleged he took ketamine at 7 a.m. and Fielding said his drug of choice was cocaine.

Fielding admits he used drugs as a way to recreate the buzz he got from performing as part of "The Mighty Boosh" but eventually, he slowed down. "I took partying to its logical conclusion," he told The Guardian in 2024. Besides, Fielding is a father now and he shares two children with longtime partner, Lliana Bird.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

With her sassy humor, fun loving personality, and Slovakian accent, it was pretty much impossible not to love Series 15 baker Nelly Ghaffar. During biscuit week, the bakers were tasked to make an intricate puppet theater and puppets out of cookies. Like any respectable puppet show, the judges asked that these biscuits tell them a story. To describe the story Ghaffer told as "heartbreaking" would be an understatement.

Ghaffar explains that her theater was going to be a dark forest representing life's hardships and that the stars shining through the trees are the guiding lights through said hardships. The five star biscuits Ghaffar was making represented each child she lost to miscarriage. Showstoppers involving structural baked goods are always intense, because watching people's cookie creations crumble and crack while the clock is ticking just isn't pretty. When Ghaffar struggled to execute the biscuit stars according to plan she was uncharacteristically upset. Viewers at home were moved by her vulnerability.

"The five stars — only my husband knew what it was about at that point ... It was the first ever time I had said it aloud." Ghaffar told BBC Radio Solent after the episode aired. She dedicated the biscuit showstopper to her husband Chand, "to show him how I love him and how I really appreciate his support." The couple share two sons.

Prior to the three years Sandi Toksvig spent as co-host of "The Great British Baking Show," she was best known for her long career as a broadcaster and comedian. Yet for Danish-born Toksvig, her career — and life — were at risk when she publicly came out as gay. In 1994, Toksvig revealed her homosexuality during an interview with the Sunday Times as a way to avoid being outed by the tabloids — a cruel yet common practice of that era. A media frenzy followed.

Reflecting on that time, Toksvig told The Independent, "We got quite a lot of death threats at the time. And we had to go into hiding — we were in hiding for about two weeks and of course during that time, I was terrified that I had done a terrible thing to my children." Toksvig's three children, who she shares with then-partner Peta Stewart, were young at the time.

The controversy surrounding Toksvig's sexuality was also partly responsible for the disintegration of her relationship with Stewart. Toksvig has said that after she came out, societal pressure to look like a perfect couple strained the relationship beyond repair. They split up in 1997. Toksvig has been married to psychotherapist Debbie Toksvig since 2007.

Series 10's Steph Blackwell was a standout. The 28-year-old from Chester, England won Star Baker three episodes in a row and earned the title a fourth time before coming undone in the finale. You couldn't help but root for Blackwell, the timid young woman with a raven, eye-skimming fringe and masterful baking prowess. Yet even as the undisputed favorite to win, it was clear Blackwell did not believe in herself. What she overcame to achieve greatness on "The Great British Baking Show" wasn't revealed until later on.

At the age of 17, Blackwell's struggle with depression manifested into disordered eating. She developed a condition known as OSFED, or Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder, which is characterized by obsessive thought patterns surrounding food. In Blackwell's case, this included obsessively weighing and portioning meals and excessive exercise. By age 21, she was diagnosed with early-onset osteoporosis due to a lack of nutrients in her body. With therapy and the unyielding support of her mother and grandfather, Blackwell began her recovery journey. Her passion for baking was part of that healing.

During filming, Blackwell was advised not to publicly discuss her eating disorder because of the stigma surrounding the condition. She said that this decision was made to protect her, but in the aftermath of "The Great British Baking Show" Blackwell spoke up. Sharing her story has empowered Blackwell's personal recovery and provided emotional support to others who have been affected by mental illness.

If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

Just two years after competing on Series 13, contestant Dawn Hollyoak passed away at the age of 61. Hollyoak loved the artistry behind baking particularly when it came to crafting illusion cakes and detailed icing work. Hollyoak was the sixth contestant to be eliminated in her series, after her Halloween-themed bakes failed to impress the judges.

Hollyoak was a humble yet dogged competitor, and she applied to "The Great British Baking Show" ten times before finally being asked to join the tent. In her farewell letter post-elimination, Hollyoak described her time on "The Great British Baking show" as the adventure of a lifetime. Hollyoak's family did not disclose the details of her passing, but media reports suggest her death occurred after a period of illness. She leaves behind her adoring children and grandchildren. When news of her passing hit the media, a flurry of previous contestants on "The Great British Baking Show" — as well as co-host Paul Hollywood — publicly expressed their condolences.

Series 9's Terry Hartill stood out for his eccentric yet discerning tastes. It was clear he had an artistic flair, but Hartill was a bit of a struggle bus when it came to baking precision and time management — two skills that are absolutely necessary if you want to win "The Great British Baking Show." Hartill escaped elimination in the show's first few weeks, before succumbing to a double elimination during Spice Week on episode five.

We're used to seeing tearful exits on "The Great British Baking Show" (the fact that there's no prize money makes these emotive reactions far more endearing), but Hartill's parting words were next-level heartbreaking. "I said I wouldn't get upset. It's funny when you're on your own ... My wife and I were very happy and that was a massive loss. There wasn't anything to fill the gap for a very long time so it's given me a focus." In an instant, we wanted to take back everything we said about Hartill being a struggle bus and embrace him for the tender, artsy widower he is.

Fans of "The Great British Baking Show" felt the same way. Hartill, who lost his wife to cancer, received an outpouring of support from viewers. Hartill asked the producers of "The Great British Baking Show" to share a hand-written letter of thanks to those who understood his vision and encouraged his love of baking.

Paul Hollywood didn't have an affair with any of his cast mates on "The Great British Baking Show," but he did have one, and it hurt his whole family. Gliding on the breeze of the success of "The Great British Baking Show," Hollywood appeared as a guest judge on "The American Baking Competition," a 2013 spinoff of the British version. His co-judge was chef Marcela Valladolid.

The show only ran for one season, but during that time, Hollywood and Valladolid had an affair. When Hollywood admitted his infidelity, he and wife Alex, who had been married since 1998, separated. Once the press caught wind of his indiscretion, the media had a field day. Hollywood was kicked out of the home he shared with Alex and their son, Joshua. Getting candid with The Mirror in July 2013, Hollywood called the affair "the biggest mistake of my life" adding, "It's my fault ... I do feel very sad about it and what it brought on the family."

The couple spent years trying to amend their relationship, but in 2017, they separated for good. Their divorce was finalized in 2019. Hollywood remarried in 2022, but the pain he caused his family lingered. It was reported that Hollywood's son did not attend his father's second wedding and that their relationship has been strained ever since Hollywood left the family home.

Long before he entered the tent, Marc Elliott was better known as an experienced rock climber than a skilled home baker. He spent much of the '90s ascending peaks throughout the world, but a tragic accident put his passion for climbing on hold. In 2016, Elliott was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the amputation of his left leg.

To cope with the trauma of losing his leg, Elliott found solace in baking. The single dad of three was hesitant to apply for "The Great British Baking Show," but encouragement from his daughters gave him the confidence to audition. Fans of the show admired Elliott's perseverance. When he was eliminated in the quarterfinals, Elliott said he came to the tent to face his anxiety and failures and was walking away with the desire to give himself more credit.

Although he rose above the odds, Elliot's success on "The Great British Baking Show" led to him being exposed for disability benefit fraud. After the loss of his leg, Elliott claimed that severe anxiety prevented him from performing basic tasks which made him eligible for a disability benefit furnished by British taxpayers. His weeks-long run on "The Great British Baking Show" made his bouts of debilitating anxiety a tough sell. Elliott pleaded guilty to fraudulently accepting more than £20,000 in benefits, and he received a sentence of three years conditional release.

Series 13 finalist Sandro Farmhouse was an ambitious baker, always going above and beyond the expectations of a challenge on his unrelenting pursuit for a Hollywood handshake (which evaded him right to the end). Though he grew up baking with his mom, Farmhouse found his passion for baking later on in life, and it was under heartbreaking circumstances. At age 21, Farmhouse was planning a trip to his native Angola to finally meet his biological father, but one month before the trip, his father passed away.

"I felt like something had been taken away from me, and baking was the only way I found to help deal with the loss," Farmhouse recalled to Metro in 2023. His outlet for those conflicting feelings led him to the tent of "The Great British Baking Show" in 2022. Detailing the experience Farmhouse said, "My Angolan heritage came through with my savoury bakes and actually sometimes with my sweet bakes ... I tried to incorporate these as much as possible, while also showing an ode to the U.K., too." He placed runner up.

If there was ever a contestant who took their victory on "The Great British Baking Show" and catapulted it into stardom, it was Series 6 baker Nadiya Hussain. The prolific baker continues to appear on British television and even has her own Netflix show. Hussain is also the author of several cookbooks and three novels. Despite all of Hussain's well-earned success, she says that racism has been a dark aspect of her reality for a long time.

Apart from her obvious talent, Hussain's appearance on "The Great British Baking Show" gave much-needed visibility to Muslim women who wear a hijab. Hussain, who began wearing a hijab at age 14, said that wearing the headscarf has contributed to her experiencing more racism in the last five years than she endured throughout her entire life. Even more heartbreaking is Hussain's confession that speaking out against this racial abuse could mean jeopardizing her culinary career.

Hussain's first experiences of escalated racism occurred after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. She has had objects thrown at her, been pushed, shoved, and verbally bashed, but Hussain chooses to take the high road as a positive example for her children. "One thing I don't want my kids to do is have a negative attitude to living in the U.K. because, yes, there are those negative people, but they are the minority." she told Desert Island Discs in 2016.