Bake Off viewers delighted as ‘most improved’ Matty wins competition: ‘God loves a trier’

PE teacher came from behind to win competition – despite never being named Star Baker

The Great British Bake Off viewers have been left delighted after one “underdog” finalist came from behind to win the competition.

Channel 4’s cookery competition series came to an end on Tuesday (28 November), as the three remaining bakers – Dan, Josh and Matty – competed for the last time in hope of being named series champions.

While Dan and Josh had both been named Star Baker multiple times throughout the series, PE teacher Matty had never achieved this accolade. “If he wins it, he will have played an absolute blinder because he’s always just underneath the top,” Noel Fielding was heard telling the judges.

But Matty’s episode got off to an unexpectedly good start, as he gained the most praise from judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith his eclairs in the first round. All three bakers struggled in the technical challenge, where they were asked to make lardy cakes, leading Matty to come third.

However, he pulled it out of the bag in the showstopper round. Leith declared that his tiered celebration cake was “absolutely perfect”, apart from the fact it was on a lean.

Matty was shocked as he was declared the show’s winner in front of his family and friends, with viewers sharing in his delight on social media.

“Yesss Matty!!! We love an underdog coming out on top,” one tweet read.

From L-R: Josh, Dan and Matty wait to learn who’s won ‘The Great British Bake Off’ (Channel 4)

Another joked: “This GBBO is like people who prefer coursework (Josh) over people who pull it out of the bag for the exam (Matty).”

One emotional viewer wrote: “No one talk to me. Our best man MATTY won the #GBBO.  As someone who constantly suffers from impostor syndrome, I have greatly resonated with Matty since the beginning of this season. This is why his win made me really emotional. Like I am crying right now, as I’m typing this.”

Another praised Matty for “being best improved, being genuinely modest and muttering to himself the advice his girlfriend gave him about decorating his cake”.

One tweet echoed: “Yessssssss God loves a trier!!!!! Matty improves every week and he deserves this so much!!!”

“SO SO PROUD OF MATTY I AM SHOCKED BUT SO HAPPY FOR HIM HE HAS NEVER BELIEVED IN HIMSELF I HOPE HE STARTS NOW,” another fan added.

“What a beautiful young man,” one Twitter/X post read. “So humble. The dark horse of the competition. We didn’t really mind who won as all three were outstanding. Well done Dan and Josh but huge congratulations to Matty.”

“So chuffed for Matty. Was hoping for him from the start. Congratulations,” another viewer wrote.

Earlier in the show, it was revealed that the 28-year-old hadn’t even applied to take part in Bake Off himself.

Revealed in the episode that he hadn’t applied for himself. Instead, it was his fiancée Lara who did it for him, explaining that Matty would have never applied on his own because he wasn’t “braggy”.

“I don’t know when the penny’s going to drop that he’s good at baking,” she said, with Matty echoing this as he told Alison Hammond that he hadn’t even consider that he could win the show.