Software engineer Iain Ross has become the eighth contestant to depart The Great British Bake Off tent after failing to impress judges during a challenging quarter-final.
The 29-year-old from Coleraine, Northern Ireland, exited at the close of Dessert Week.
It saw bakers tasked with creating a Basque-style cheesecake, a gluten-free sponge, and a complex free-standing trifle as their Showstopper.
Tuesday’s episode crowned medical student Jasmine Mitchell Star Baker, as presenter Noel Fielding delivered the news of Iain’s elimination.
“I didn’t think I would make it this far – I never thought I would make it past the first couple of weeks. So to make it to the quarter-finals is something that I couldn’t ever have thought of,” Iain said.
“We have had the best group of bakers. We have made really, really good friends, and we always have a laugh. It’s just been fantastic.”
Iain said his bakes were starting to “stagnate” before going on the show.
“Being on Bake Off just reignited my passion and showed me that this is what I love doing in this life.
“Barely anyone in my life is as obsessed with baking as I am, so being around so many people that absolutely love baking is just incredible.”
Reflecting on his favourite moments from the Channel 4 show, Iain said it was his Bingate 2.0 showstopper which referenced the viral series “scandal” from over a decade ago, when contestant Iain Watters’ baked Alaska ended up in the bin after baker Diana Beard removed his ice cream from the freezer without telling him. It has since been referred to as “Bingate”.
Speaking about the redemption cake, he said: “I think my best moment was presenting Bingate 2.0 to Paul – Bingate was my favourite Bake Off moment, and I always said that if another Iain from Belfast got on the show I’d have to pay tribute to it. I almost didn’t do it, but I’m so glad I did.
“My worst moment had to be the Bread Week showstopper. I changed that recipe completely six times in the run-up to that week and I completely psyched myself out because I put so much pressure on myself to make something weird and wacky.”
Iain will join Jo Brand and Tom Allen on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday 24 October on Channel 4 at 8pm.
