The Great British Bake Off: Fans shocked after learning what winners take home as prize

The Great British Bake Off, hosted by Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding, captures the heart of viewers all over the world year after year, bringing amateur bakers into the spotlight. After all the tension, battle, anxiety, tears, and massive drama, these cooks often exit the show with loads of opportunities ahead of them. From publishing cookbooks, to launching businesses, and even baking for royalty. Their success stories illustrate that GBBO offers much more than fame.

And while the real rewards of being on the show come after its done, do you know what the winner of this contest gets for being the best baker?

This is what the winner receives

The final award is nothing to boast about. In fact the show's prize is quite simple—a cake stand, and a bouquet of flowers. Yes! You read that right.

This lackluster prize has left some fans surprised, wondering if there might be more behind the scenes, or if this is truly all the contestants receive. Viewers find it hard to grasp why participants invest so much effort only to end up with such a modest reward.

However, the winners and contestants of the show do not share the same opinion because of the sheer amount of opportunities that are presented to them after the show.

Some previous winners

The Sun reported that previous contestant, Martha Collison, who reached the quarter finals in the 2014 series, is content with what she has achieved from the show. Despite not winning, Collison has turned her appearance into a successful career, publishing books and appearing on various media platforms. She also said:

Everyone is so surprised and thinks there must be some secret cash, but all we really get is a bunch of flowers and a cake stand.

But then, you also kind of become a national treasure just by doing it because everyone in Britain loves the Bake Off so much,

Nadiya Hussain, the 2015 GBBO winner, has become a household name. Beyond her victory, she’s authored several cookbooks and starred in various TV shows, cementing her position as a leading figure in the baking world. In a notable honor, she was chosen to bake a cake for Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday.

Contestants from the show often gain more than just a trophy. Nadiya, for instance, has amassed a significant social media following and lucrative endorsement deals. According to Nationalworld, Nadiya Hussain earns the most out of all the GBBOwinners. She has 860K Instagram followers and earns £3,726 per post.

Similarly, Sophie Faldo, who won in 2017, now runs a bespoke cake business and continues to thrive in her post-GBBO career. She also has 43,400 Instagram followers, and earns £316 per post.

So, while the show’s prize might seem modest, the opportunities it opens up are far more valuable than any cash reward.

Read more:

⋙ GBBO launches special subscription box full of delicious recipes

⋙ GBBO fans are distraught as Hermine gets ‘robbed’ of her spot in the finals

⋙ The Great British Bake Off slammed by viewers, here's why

⋙ The Great British Bake Off 2022: This contestant has sparked controversy, here's why

Sources used:

- Nationalworld: 'The Great British Bake Off: highest earning GBBO winners revealed, plus how much they get paid per Instagram post'

- The Sun: 'What does the Bake Off winner get and are contestants paid for taking part?'