Great British Bake Off: Peter Sawkins crowned winner as 'giddy' Edinburgh student triumphs in show's closest ever final

Edinburgh student Peter Sawkins has been crowned the winner of The Great British Bake Off.

The 20-year-old accounting and finance student became the youngest finalist in the programme’s history.

He saw off competition from Laura Adlington and Dave Friday in tonight’s episode of the Channel 4 amateur baking competition.

Peter said: “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.

Great British Bake Off winner Peter with judge, Prue Leith.

“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 and giddy kid right now.”

While Laura’s poor performance in the first two rounds of the final took her out of contention, judge Paul Hollywood said the competition was “as close to a draw that I’ve ever seen”.

His fellow judge Prue Leith agreed it was “so close” between Peter and Dave, 30, a security guard from Hampshire.

The final saw the trio tasked with making custard slices, walnut whirls and a multi-layered showstopper dessert.

Peter took inspiration from the Scottish pudding Cranachan when making his custard slices, using raspberries, oats and whisky to flavour it.

Leith said they “looked incredible”, adding that he had made a “really lovely custard slice”, while Hollywood complimented their flavour.

Dave also won praise for his coffee and caramel-flavoured custard slices, with Hollywood praising his “beautiful” pastry.

However, Laura’s final began with a disastrous first round after her custard failed to set and her slices failed to hold their shape.

The 31-year-old digital manager from Kent told the judges she was “embarrassed” to serve her slices to the judges, adding they looked as though they had been dropped on the floor.

Laura also finished bottom in the walnut whirl challenge, which was completed in very hot conditions, after she messed up her timings and failed to have all the components properly cooled in time for the tasting.

The three contestants were tasked with creating a multi-layered dessert which reflected on their time on the show in the final showstopper challenge.

Laura decided to recreate some of her previous triumphs in a dessert which featured components including Chelsea buns, macarons and carrot and walnut cake.

However, it was not enough to bring her back into contention.

Dave sought to redeem his failings in previous weeks by having a second go at some of the bakes he was criticised for in previous weeks, including brownies, chocolate babka and choux buns.

The judges gave mixed reviews of his attempt to right the wrongs of previous weeks.

Peter’s dessert featured components including a Victoria sandwich, choux buns and Battenberg biscuits and was labelled a “good effort” by Leith.

The showstopper round was watched by the entire crew for the 11th series of the programme, who formed a “bubble” in Down Hall Hotel near Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, throughout the duration of filming, after being tested for the virus and self-isolating.

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