Who is Nataliia? Meet The Great British Bake Off 2025 contestant and office assistant

Among the bakers is Nataliia, who moved to the UK from Ukraine with her husband four years ago, just before the war broke out. Her family followed after as refugees and they now all live in East Yorkshire.

But what else is there to know about Nataliia? Read on to learn more about The Great British Bake Off 2025 contestant.

Who is Nataliia?

Age: 32

Location: East Yorkshire

Job: Office assistant

Nataliia is a 32-year-old office assistant living in East Yorkshire, though she was born in Ukraine. It was her grandmother who taught her how to bake, following traditional recipes that have been handed down through generations – which she loves to use to this day.

Through her bakes, Nataliia infuses classic British bakes with flavours inspired by her roots such as honey, poppy seeds and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.

After watching Bake Off with her husband, Nataliia always imagined what it'd be like to be in the tent, and now she is!

She said of finding out she'd be on the show: "My husband secretly sent off my application without telling me, and when he told me that the Bake Off team wanted to speak to me, I was – to put it mildly – shocked. We were at home, and it was the most unexpected phone call."

What are Nataliia's strengths and weaknesses as a baker?

Nataliia's strengths tend to be her "attention to detail and love for flavour balance", and her skillset often lies with desserts and cakes, ranging from the decoration, the mousses and patisserie-style bakes.

Speaking of her weaknesses, Nataliia said: "Working with yeasted dough. It has a life of its own, and I sometimes lack the patience to wait for it to rise just right. I'm still learning how to feel the dough, not just follow a recipe. But that’s what makes baking so exciting – there’s always room to grow."

The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday 2nd September at 8pm.

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