Who is Michael Chakraverty on The Great British Bake Off 2019? How old is the theatre manager?
First time lucky: meet the theatre manager who only needed one try to make it into the tent
What else would you expect from someone who was raised in a town called Scone than to make it to the Great British Bake Off?
Michael is a 26-year-old theatre manager and fitness instructor from Stratford-upon-Avon.
He joined the other 12 amateur bakers in the tent when Bake Off started on Tuesday, 27th August.
Michael Chakraverty: Key facts
Name: Michael Chakraverty
Age: 26
From: Born in Newcastle, raised in Scone (Scotland), now lives in Stratford-upon-Avon
Occupation: Theatre manager and fitness instructor
Twitter: @mschakraverty
Instagram: @mschakraverty
Who is Michael Chakraverty?
Although he was born in Newcastle, Michael considers himself Scottish, as he moved to Scone (pronounced Scuin to rhyme with boon) when he was 7 and has studied in Edinburgh.
He was taught to bake by his mother, who passed down to him handwritten recipes from her grandmother.
In his creations, Michael is mostly inspired by his Indian heritage and although he tried his hand at most baking disciplines, his strong suits lie in cakes and pastry.
He works as a theatre manager and fitness trainer in Stratford-upon-Avon and this was the first time he ever applied to be on Bake Off. "One night I applied as I was a bit bored," says Michael. "I never thought I would get to the audition process. So when I found out it was a mixture of shock and blind panic!"
He thinks the most shocked to find out he made it onto the show will be his grandmother: "She will be totally speechless, she would have to sit down in a quiet room and have a cup of tea. She is very chatty usually but I know this will shock her."
Read more about The Great British Bake Off
- Your guide to The Great British Bake Off 2019
- Where is the GBBO tent filmed?
- How to apply for next year's GBBO
- Past GBBO winners - where they are now
How long is Great British Bake Off on for?
Series ten of GBBO started on Tuesday 27th August at 8pm on Channel 4. Alongside Michael, 12 fellow amateur bakers – including a fashion designer and a geography teacher – will battle it out to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith over 10 weeks of competitions.
Duo Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding are hosting the show from the Bake Off tent, which is pitched in the grounds of Welford Park in Newbury.
The unique Rahul Mandal won last year's competition, finishing in first place above Ruby Bhogal and Kim-Joy.
The Great British Bake Off is on Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4
