Who is Iain? Meet The Great British Bake Off 2025 contestant and software engineer
If an ingredient can be pickled, aged or cultured, Iain will give it a try!
The nation's sweetest show is back on screens, with a new group of bakers bracing themselves for a set of challenges that'll put their skills to the test.
From cakes and biscuits to dessert and patisserie, this season of The Great British Bake Off will have it all, including coveted Hollywood handshakes. One baker hoping to receive one, as well as the Star Baker title, is Iain.
Iain, who is from Belfast, is on a mission to rewrite the Bake Off legacy left by the other Iain from Belfast who appeared on the show in 2014, and whose dramatic exit is often referred to as "bin gate". But will he be so lucky?
Read on to find out more about Iain ahead of his Great British Bake Off 2025 debut.
Who is Iain?
Age: 29
Location: Belfast
Job: Software engineer
Iain is a 29-year-old software engineer living in Belfast with his girlfriend and their cat.
Iain mixes his love of live music with sourdough, immortalising album cover art on the crusts of his loaves. He tends to blend classic flavours with a creative twist, and often uses fermented fruits and vegetables to enhance the depth and complexity of his flavours.
Initially, Iain had no intention of appearing on Bake Off, but when his girlfriend wouldn't take no for an answer, he finally applied.
He explained: "Every step of the way I kept it a secret from everyone apart from Dervla, I didn’t think I’d make it to the following stage and I didn't want to let anyone down. Then when I got the call to confirm my place I was in sheer disbelief, I had no idea it would actually happen.
"I thought it was a prank at first, I got a call a few minutes after being told and I thought they were going to tell me they made a mistake and I wasn't actually on the show! I was in the office at work and had to go out to the foyer to take the call and speak in code, everyone who was walking past heading to the toilet looked very concerned and confused."
What are Iain's strengths and weaknesses as a baker?
Iain loves to tell a story with his bakes, something he views as his strength when it comes to baking.
"I've been told by a lot of people that my style is very unique, and I know that's what people say when they don't want to say something looks bad, but I'll take it anyway," Iain explained.
But on the flip side, "anything that requires precision, good time management, and having multiple plates spinning at once", is where Iain ultimately falls short.
"My brain just doesn't comprehend that sort of stuff, I'm a very simple wee fella," he said.
The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday 2nd September at 8pm.
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Authors
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
