Great British Bake Off 2021 final: Start time, line-up and judges for new series

Three bakers remain in the running to be crowned this year's winner - Giuseppe, Chigs and Crystelle, who won Star Baker in Week Nine.

However, lots of fans think Giuseppe should win Bake Off 2021.

In an exclusive RadioTimes.com poll, 41.7 per cent voted for Giuseppe to win the series, with Chigs coming in second place with 31.9 per cent of the votes.

We personally think Chigs should be the Bake Off 2021 winner for many reasons, including the fact that he only started baking a year ago in the first lockdown - we'd give him a handshake just for that!

But ultimately it will be up to Bake Off judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith to decide who will win the coveted glass trophy.

And in order to decide this, the bakers will be given one last Bake Off theme, which will see them complete their final Signature, Technical, and Showstopper bake, after which Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas will reveal who this year's winner is.

So what time is the Great British Bake Off final on tonight?

• Hear from judge Prue Leith on the Radio Times Podcast

Here's everything you need to know about The Great British Bake Off 2021 final including what time it starts and what to expect.

What time is The Great British Bake Off 2021 final on tonight?

The Great British Bake Off is back tonight, Tuesday 23rd November at 8pm.

This will be the final episode in the series and will see one of the finalists crowned this year's ultimate baker.

It's on for an hour and 15 mins, so grab your snacks and cuppa because we're in for a treat!

What channel is Great British Bake Off on?

Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4.

Viewers can also watch episodes on catch up on All 4.

New episodes are available to stream once they've aired on TV.

Will The Great British Bake Off return for 2022?

It most certainly will! Channel 4 have signed a three-year deal with Love Productions, who produce the popular baking show, meaning the network will be airing the programme all the way until 2024.

So prepare for plenty more benevolent baking, stunning showstoppers and the odd innuendo as Bake Off will be on our screens until 2024!

Richard McKerrow, Chief Executive at Love Productions, said: “We are delighted to have extended Bake Off’s stay on Channel 4 for another three years. Love Productions’ long-term commitment with Channel 4 illustrates a deep, warm, mutual respect and partnership which enables us to bring Bake Off to the widest audience possible.”

Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer at Channel 4, added: “We are thrilled that Channel 4 will continue to serve up Bake Off’s unique combination of warmth, humour and soggy bottoms for years to come. Bake Off is all about optimism, celebrating eccentricity and bringing the nation together – precisely what a publicly owned Channel 4 is here to do.”

Before then though, you can enjoy the Great British Bake Off 2021 Christmas special, which Channel 4 recently announced and will see the cast of It's A Sin take part.

The multi award-winning show first aired on Channel 4 in 2017 and has consistently been one of the biggest shows for the channel, with last year’s final watched by 11.5 million people - that's a 41.8 per cent share of the viewing audience.

The current series is averaging 8.7 million viewers per episode making it second only to Strictly Come Dancing as the most watched unscripted show of the year, and the biggest first run unscripted series on All 4 this year.

The Great British Bake Off 2021 start date

The Great British Bake Off 2021 returned for series 12 on Tuesday 21st September.

The show announced the news on their official Twitter page, sharing an image of Paul, Noel, Prue, and Matt holding mugs with the words "Bake", "Off", "Is" and "Back" written on them.

In May, Matt Lucas revealed they were about to start filming, and would be following similar protocols to the ones used for the 2020 series.

Speaking on ITV's Lorraine, he said: "We’re starting very soon. Like last year we’re going into a bubble. All self-isolating and getting tested and then we’re going into COVID-free bubble, so we can all taste each other’s bakes and there can be handshakes and all sorts."

He also revealed Noel Fielding would be back to present the show after missing out on the Christmas special.

The Great British Bake Off 2021 line-up

Bake Off 2021 finalists:

• Chigs
• Crystelle
• Giuseppe

Former Bake Off 2021 contestants:

• Jürgen - Eliminated in Week Nine
• Lizzie - Eliminated in Week Eight
• George - Elimnated in Week Seven
• Amanda - Eliminated in Week Six
• Freya - Eliminated in Week Five
• Maggie - Eliminated in Week Four
• Rochica - Eliminated in Week Three
• Jairzeno - Eliminated in Week Two
• Tom - Eliminated in Week One

The Great British Bake Off hosts

New 2020 presenter Matt Lucas proved to be a popular replacement for Sandi Toksvig, with fans loving the surreal nature of his partnership with Noel Fielding.

Both reprise their roles on the new series, with fans no doubt be delighted to see Noel back after he missed last year's festive Bake Off specials while on paternity leave.

The Great British Bake Off judges

Prue Leith has now teamed up with original judge Paul Hollywood for four seasons, and there are no plans to shake things up in the tent this series, with both returning in 2021.

• For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.

Who won The Great British Bake Off 2020?

Series 11 was won by young baker Peter Sawkins. Laura Adlington and Dave Friday finished as runners up.

Speaking of his win, Peter said at the time: "I can’t quite believe that I am here, I can’t quite believe that I made it onto the show, and I can’t quite believe that the show happened. This is going to be a really huge chapter in my life, and what a way for it to end.

“I wanted this a lot, when I was 12 I was watching repeats of Bake Off back to back, and it got me into baking big time. I am a Bake Off nerd, and I think 12 year old Peter would be in awe, and just the most excited giddy kid. I am that excited giddy kid right now.”

How to apply for The Great British Bake Off

If you think you have what it takes to be the next winner, you must fill out an application on the official Bake Off applications page.

You need to be a UK resident aged over 16, be available for the filming dates (likely between April and August) and must not have worked professionally as a baker, cook, or chef.

Unfortunately, applications for this year are now closed, but we'll let you know once they open for the new series.

In the mean time, check out these hints and tricks a former winner gave us on how to apply for Great British Bake Off.

The Great British Bake Off 2021 final is on Tuesday 23rd November at at 8pm. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or visit our hub for more Entertainment news.