The Great British Bake Off has announced that a deaf contestant will be competing on the show.
Twelve bakers, including an intelligence analyst and vegetable grower, were announced on Tuesday ahead of the return of the baking contest to Channel 4 next week, in what will be the 14th season of the show.
Participation officer Tasha, 27, who is deaf, said it was a "big moment" in the famous Bake Off tent when presenter Noel Fielding introduced the latest host, Alison Hammond, and her British sign language interpreter (BSL), Daryl, to the show.
Tasha, from Bristol, said: "Seeing Daryl up at the front and feeling fully part of the show was a really special moment.
"I couldn't have done it without him and without the dedication from the show ensuring I had the same access as the other bakers."
Tasha said that when she found out she was going to be on the series, she and Daryl both cried.
She added: "We were a mess. I didn’t say anything that made sense because I was so unprepared to be told that. I never thought that it would be me going to the tent."
Also among the contestants is Sri Lankan-born intelligence analyst Saku, 50; vegetable grower and delivery driver Abbi, 27, deli and grocery manager Amos, 43; PA Cristy, 33; and Nicky, 52, a retired cabin crew member.
Also competing is Dan, 42, a civil engineering resource planner, Dana, 25, a database administrator, Josh, 27, a chemist, chartered accountant Keith, 60, Matt, 28, a PE and science teacher, and student Rowan, 21.
Rowan said as the youngest baker in the tent this year, he liked to let "everyone know that I was only eight when the first episode of Bake Off aired".
He added: "After watching each series without fail, I knew that one of my life goals would be to bake in that tent.
"Getting the call to say I had achieved that dream, I did the only thing appropriate - I slid to the floor, screamed down the phone and ran to the shops for a bottle of prosecco, all before getting back to join the group wash-up in my uni house. Classy."
Josh, a post-doctoral research associate, said he was in the chemistry lab when he went into "complete shock" after being accepted.
He recalled, "So many emotions going through my head - excitement of the prospect of baking in the tent, buzzing as I couldn’t wait to tell my brother and parents the news, nervous that I was going to be baking for (judges) Paul (Hollywood) and Prue (Leith).
"And a sense of accomplishment that I had managed to make it through and do my nan proud, as she was a big inspiration for entering again this year.
"She passed away in June 2021 and I said I would try and enter the Bake Off again for her."
Syabira Yusoff was named the winner of last year's series.
This Morning presenter Hammond, 48, was announced as a replacement for comedian Matt Lucas, who said in December he would step down from the role.
The Great British Bake Off returns on Tuesday 26 September at 8pm on Channel 4.
Source: Press Association
