Prue Leith has revealed she learnt sign language alongside Paul Hollywood for the latest series of The Great British Bake Off to help one of the new baking hopefuls.

This year, the popular Channel 4 show will welcome 12 contestants including Tasha, the first deaf contestant heading into the Bake Off tent this autumn.

Prue said: “She had a signer, so we all learnt a bit of sign language.”

She continued to tell Radio Times: "Paul was terrific and he learnt a lot. I just about managed to learn how to say 'good luck' and 'well done'."

When it came to applying for Bake Off 2023, Tasha who is a participation officer from Bristol told Channel 4: "My manager urged me to apply and was the one who basically made sure I got the application in (by badgering me on WhatsApp after every application advert at the end of the season 13 episodes)!

"When I had the Zoom call to tell me I was one of the 12, I cried! Daryl (my BSL interpreter) also cried! We were a mess."

The 27-year-old added: "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!

"I also went on holiday with seven friends the day after finding out and could only tell one of them, so I was absolutely bursting with the secret all week!"

The Great British Bake Off welcomes first deaf contestant

Tash spoke about the “special moment” when Noel Fielding introduced Alison Hammond and Tasha's BSL interpreter, Daryl during filming.

She commented: "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."

The Great British Bake Off 2023 line-up revealed

The class of Bake Off 2023 is as follows:

  • Tasha - Participation officer from Bristol
  • Saku - Intelligence analyst from Herefordshire
  • Rowan - English literature student from West Yorkshire
  • Nicky - Volunteer at a pet-therapy charity from the West Midlands
  • Matty - Science and PE teacher from Cambridgeshire
  • Keith - Chartered accountant from Hampshire
  • Josh - Post-doctoral research associate and chemist by trade from Leicestershire
  • Dana - Database administrator from Essex
  • Dan - Resource planner in civil engineering from Cheshire
  • Cristy - Personal assistant from east London
  • Amos - Manager of a deli from north London
  • Abbi - Delivery driver from Cumbria

When does The Great British Bake Off 2023 start?

Bake Off returns to our TV screens on Tuesday, September 26 at 8pm.

This Morning presenter Alison will be co-hosting the show alongside Noel.

She will be replacing Matt Lucas who joined the Bake Off family in 2020.