Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Culture
    2. TV and Film

    John Whaite crowned champion of the Great British Bake Off

    After whipping up a show-stopping chiffon cake and perfect meringue, John Whait became champion of the Bake Off this year

    By Marie Claire
    Published 17 October 2012 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    John Whaite - Great British Bake Off 2012
    John Whaite - Great British Bake Off 2012
    (Image credit: BBC Pictures)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    After whipping up a show-stopping chiffon cake and perfect meringue, John Whait became champion of the Bake Off this year

    John Whaite was crowned champion of the Great British Bake Off last night, after beating rivals James Morton and Brendan Lynch in a tense final showdown.

    10 DELICIOUS DESSERT RECIPES

    Facing stiff competition, Whaite pulled out all the stops to produce a complicated chocolate Heaven and Hell cake to clinch the title.

    ‘It is stunning,' judge Mary Berry said of his intricate creation.

    You may like
    • Dr Emily Prpa Dr Emily Prpa Makes Healthy Eating Feel Effortless—11 Simple Recipes She Swears By
    • Em The Nutritionist recipes: Em with her new cookbook Em the Nutritionist's Recipes Promise to Make Healthy Eating Simple—and These 20 Meals Are Her Go-Tos
    • A montage of photos from the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit How the British Grand Prix Has Become the UK’s Most Glamorous Sporting Weekend

    'What I like is when you cut it and see it on the plate it looks beautiful. The texture is perfect. It is rich and it is absolutely lovely.’

    On being crowned the winner, Whaite told the Daily Mail: 'I still can’t believe it. I was surprised to even get on the show. My legs went to jelly. I was really shaking when they said my name. My mum was really chuffed. She was crying.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    Now, this year's star baker, who also studied his way to a 1st in his law degree during the British Bake Off finals, plans to go to cookery school and even release a cookery book, sharing some of his Great British Bake Off recipes. ‘Schools are very expensive so I am still working out about funds,' he said. 'But I am going to work hard and keep developing my skills. I’m still practising each day and putting together ideas for a cookery book.’

    What do you make of this year's Great British Bake Off winner? Was John the right baker to win? Or should Brendan have taken the title? Let us know in the comments box below…

    10 DELICIOUS DESSERT RECIPES

    SIMPLE PARTY NIBBLES

    CANAPES FOR BEGINNERS

    LATEST NEWS

    Marie Claire
    Social Links Navigation

    The leading destination for fashion, beauty, shopping and finger-on-the-pulse views on the latest issues. Marie Claire's travel content helps you delight in discovering new destinations around the globe, offering a unique – and sometimes unchartered – travel experience. From new hotel openings to the destinations tipped to take over our travel calendars, this iconic name has it covered.

    Read more
    Dr Emily Prpa
    Nutrition Dr Emily Prpa Makes Healthy Eating Feel Effortless—11 Simple Recipes She Swears By
    Em The Nutritionist recipes: Em with her new cookbook
    Nutrition Em the Nutritionist's Recipes Promise to Make Healthy Eating Simple—and These 20 Meals Are Her Go-Tos
     
     
    A montage of photos from the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit
    Health and Fitness How the British Grand Prix Has Become the UK’s Most Glamorous Sporting Weekend
    Marie Claire Fragrance Awards 2026
    Fragrance The Marie Claire Fragrance Awards Winners 2026 Are Here
     
     
    Latest in TV and Film
    We Finally Know What To Expect From Leighton Meester’s Character in Nobody Wants This
    TV and Film One Surprising A-Lister Is Joining the Nobody Wants This Season Three Cast
    Lily Collins in Emily in Paris
    TV and Film Emily in Paris Fans Have Been Mourning a ‘Bittersweet’ Update About Season Six
     
     
    There has been a huge update for The White Lotus season 4
    TV and Film ‘Two Weeks in August’ Has Been Dubbed the 'British White Lotus' – Here’s What We Know About It
    Helena Bonham Carter attends the 2024 BAFTAs
    TV and Film One Cast Member Has Spoken Out About Helena Bonham Carter Leaving The White Lotus
     
     
    Latest in Features
    The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Head Spas, Coco Mademoiselle Reimagined, and What the TPO Ban Really Means
    UKLASH lash lift gel tested by Dionne Brighton
    Make Up My Stubbornly Straight Lashes Never Hold a Curl—This ‘Liquid Lash Curler’ Kept Them Lifted All Day
     
     
    models wearing new Sézane
    Fashion Sézane Just Launched the Most French Rebrand of All Time—Here's What We'll Shop
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.