Meet Linda, GBBO contestant and retirement living team leader

But will her decades of experience translate to success in the famous white tent?

Here's everything you need to know about Linda.

Who is GBBO contestant Linda?

• Name: Linda
• Age: 61
• Where is she from? East Sussex
• What job does Linda do? Retirement Living Team Leader

Linda is a vastly experienced amateur baker - having first discovered her passion during frequent childhood visits to her aunt’s dairy farm, just down the road from her own home.

She used to help to milk the cows, then carry a bucket of milk into the kitchen, where her aunt taught her to bake cakes topped with rich, creamy icing.

To this day Linda still buys homegrown produce from another aunt’s fruit farm and uses it in her baking.

Her strengths are in the classics and in home-comfort cooking, like her signature sausage rolls.

A lover of the countryside and of being outdoors in general, Linda will frequently head with her partner to their local beach, to fish for mackerel and mullet.

And she loves to spend time in her garden – cultivating its produce and for its positive effects on her well-being.

What are Linda's Strengths? "I think my experience over the years would be my strength."

What are Linda's Weaknesses? "My weakness is definitely poor timing."

What has Linda said about joining Bake Off?

Linda has said that she was "in awe" of the production team for managing to pull off this year's series, saying that it amazed her how well everything had been thought out.

"To be in the tent the first morning was a real magical moment for me," she said. "I just kept pinching myself and tried hard to stop grinning at everyone!"

"I was so excited and I am still in a little shock, I just wanted to do my best and show people how much I loved to bake.

"I find it’s a real therapy and lovely when it’s so appreciated. I’ll never lose that magical feeling I had when I first walked into the tent and that will stay with me as one of my moments. It’s never too late to chase your dreams."

She said that she greatly enjoyed sharing the tent with all the other bakers, and mentions that she was rather star-struck when it came to meeting Paul, Prue, Noel and new co-host Matt Lucas.

As for former contestants, Linda said that if she was to be in a lockdown bubble with any previous baker it would have to be last year's runner-up Steph.

"I thought she was amazing!" she said. "I admired her timing (which I could take a lesson from) and winning star baker three times in a row said a lot about her talent.

"I just wanted to hold her when her soufflés didn’t rise in the final technical and she cried. I know too well how the pressures of the tent can ambush your common sense."

When is GBBO back?

We're fast approaching this year's launch date with the 11th series getting underway on September 22nd at 8pm.

Channel 4 took to Twitter to alert fans to the start days, with a post from The Great British Bake Off account reading, “Put a little love in your tart. Join us on Tuesday 22nd September for the return of The Great British Bake Off!”

It's not that long ago that fans doubted whether it would be possible for a series to go ahead at all this year, but after a number of changes were made to the usual production schedule filming wrapped for the series in just six weeks.

Of course, a whole host of behind-the-scenes changes were required in order for the show to go ahead as usual, with all sorts of new measures put in place to keep the cast and crew safe.

The Great British Bake Off starts on Channel 4 on September 22nd at 8pm. To keep up to date with the latest Bake Off news, see here. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.