Shivangi Sinha
The charm of Netflix’s ‘The Great British Baking Show: Holidays’ lies in watching beloved former contestants return to the tent and test their skills once more. In its eighth season, six past bakers stepped back into the competition, tackling the Signature, navigating the Technical challenge, and presenting a final showstopper inspired by a traditional Scottish festive dish. Despite the high level of talent and the tough competition around him, Peter Sawkins distinguished himself throughout the rounds and ultimately rose above the rest to earn the holiday special’s top honor.
Peter Sawkins Shares His Culinary Knowledge on Social Media
Peter Sawkins became the youngest-ever winner of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ when he triumphed in Season 11, also becoming the first Scottish baker to win the title. At the time, he was studying Accounting and Finance at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 2023. Alongside baking, he built a strong sporting profile, serving as the Edinburgh University Sports Union President for 2023–24 and competing as a dedicated badminton player. He continues to support the university as a Sport Alumni Ambassador. After Bake Off, Sawkins trained at the prestigious Amaury Guichon Pastry Academy in Las Vegas and has since developed a successful digital career. He has written two books, ‘Peter Bakes’ and ‘Peter’s Baking Party,’ runs an active YouTube channel, and is based in Edinburgh. His family is his biggest support system and his brother, Andrew Sawkins, is Peter’s best friend for life.
Kevin Flynn is a Skilled Musician and Teacher
Kevin Flynn began baking at 17, learning entirely on his own through cookbooks and home practice, but his main passion was always music. His big break in the baking world came when he appeared on season 13 of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ in 2022, gaining wide attention for his creativity and calm style. A graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he went on to teach with Sistema Scotland, the Scottish Association of Music Educators, and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. He is a skilled woodwind doubler, playing saxophone, flute, clarinet, and piano, and often performs in musical theatre settings. He lives with his wife, Rachel Flynn, their two cats, their cat Rupert, and their dog Judy.
Norman Calder Has Many Interest Beyond Baking and Cooking
Norman Calder joined the Merchant Navy at 17, working as a radio operator and travelling extensively. Outside his career, he plays the clarinet and creates clocks and pottery in his home studio, where he installed his own kiln. He works in slab pottery and crafts small clay sculptures. Although his father and brother were bakers, he initially showed little interest in the craft. He later embraced baking as a way to honour Scottish heritage. He became widely recognised after appearing in season 5 of ‘The Great British Bake Off.’ He went on to appear at the Taste of Grampian Food Festival in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, and made several TV appearances. Norman has been married to his wife, Iris, for many years, and they share three children and a dog, Lucy. He likes living his life on his terms and every year he takes his caravan to Perpignan in France.
Lea Harris is Liking the Work as a Food Writer Today
Lea Harris became the first-ever contestant eliminated from ‘The Great British Bake Off’ when she left in the first week of Season 1, but her return to baking has been joyful and steady. She launched her successful food blog Off the Eaten Track in 2010, the same year she began writing for Bite Magazine, where she continues to research, write, and recipe-test the monthly What’s in Season column and occasionally review restaurants. Since 2011, she has served as a Judge Panelist and Scriber for the Guild of Fine Food’s Great Taste Awards, assessing products and contributing to written evaluations.
From 2015 to 2016, she presented Off the Eaten Track on CastleFM, interviewing figures from Scotland’s food and drink industry. She also worked as a Senior Food Judge for the Scottish Hotel Awards from 2009 to 2015. Harris has been Director of Products at The Scottish Food Awards and Academy since 2017 and won the Hospitality Honour Award in 2018. Currently, she continues her work as a columnist, reviewer, food judge, and blogger, remaining deeply embedded in Scotland’s culinary scene. Lea and her husband, Simon Harris, have raised their children—Jessica, Toby—while balancing her diverse career in food writing, judging, and broadcasting.
James Morton Has Amassed Huge Success as a Writer
James Morton, who rose to prominence after competing in season 3 of ‘The Great British Bake Off’, has since built an impressive and varied career. He quickly gained a substantial online following, launched a successful baking blog, and contributed a regular column to the Sunday Mail’s 7 Days supplement from 2013 to 2018. Morton has written widely for both digital and print outlets and appeared on shows such as ‘Sunday Brunch’ and ‘Big Fat Quiz of the Year.’ He has also presented features like ‘RBS: Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes’ and toured Scotland with his bread-focused demonstrations at major festivals. He is also a graduate in medicine from the University of Glasgow and works as a junior doctor for the NHS.
His publishing career began with Brilliant Bread in 2013, which earned major award nominations and won the Guild of Food Writers Award in 2014. He followed it with ‘How Baking Works’, which was released in 2015, ‘Super Sourdough’ in 2019, and even ventured into brewing with ‘Brew’ in 2016. In 2019, Morton co-authored ‘Shetland: Cooking on the Edge of the World’ with his father, Tom Morton, and it gained a lot of critical success. In 2024, his book, ‘The Big Book of Breads,’ was published and Morton has many plans for his career both as a writer and a chef. He and his wife, Fenella Morton, are raising their two adorable daughters and
Nicky Laceby Showcases Her Delectable Creations on the Digital Platform
Nickey Laceby, who competed in season 14 of ‘The Great British Bake Off’, has remained active in the food world through public appearances and digital work. Since her time on the show, she has taken part in numerous events and charity functions, including the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships in October 2025 and the Quality Food Awards judging panel in July 2025. She also led a Canapé Masterclass for the Good Food Shows in October 2025. Most of her presence is now online, where she shares her recipes and bakes, such as her three-layer Chocolate Birthday Cake with chocolate buttercream, ganache, tempered chocolate shards, Maltesers, and Milky Way, as well as creations like her Highland Shortbread Candle. Nickey lives with her husband in Shropshire, a county in England bordering Wales, along with their two dogs, Bracken and Haggins.
Read More: Holiday Baking Championship Season 12: Where Are the Contestants Now?
