The Great British Bake Off loses its first baker...

The Great British Bake Off has waved a fond farewell to its first baker - and poor pastor Lee was the one to pack up his wooden spoon and head home.



Lee had struggled throughout tonight's first episode, which saw the brand new bakers trying their hands at a variety of cakes beginning with an orange and lemon drizzle cake - with Lee's sporting an "awful" texture, according to Paul Hollywood.

He didn't have much luck in the Jaffa cake technical challenge either, coming second from bottom, while in the showstopper Paul suggested that he'd kept things just a bit too simple.

"Your chocolate Genoese is too dry," he added. "I can't see the point of the fresh fruit running through the middle, and it's a dry ganache."

So in the end, 67-year-old pastor Lee got sent home by Paul and Mary Berry.

"I'm disappointed to be the first off but I've always enjoyed baking and at church I do regular baking demonstrations," Lee said later.

"I won't show the congregation how to make a Jaffa cake, I am not going to repeat that experience - I'll buy them a pack instead!"

And he added: "My worst moment was when Paul held up my Jaffa cake and said, 'That isn't a Jaffa cake'. I was trying to keep a straight face so I didn't give it away that it was mine."

But Lee described being on the show as a "lovely experience" and vowed to keeeeeeep baking, saying: "Mary was lovely - she supported me when Paul might have given an adverse comment.

"Mel & Sue were always great and encouraging. Paul liked my flavours, so I am happy to take that away with me."

Lee's exit was probably a relief for his fellow baker Candice, who ended up in tears after her beautiful-looking mirror glaze cake failed Paul and Mary's taste test thanks to some ruined Genoese sponge.

Candice, who had already thrown one failed sponge against the tent windows, couldn't stop herself from weeping after Paul Hollywood called her Genoese "awful".

But it was a much better day in the tent for Jane - who started off the weekend having a "terrible" time when she had to bin her first attempt at a drizzle cake during the signature challenge.



It all turned out well in the end as her second go was devoured by Paul and Mary, while her chocolate and orange mirror glaze showstopper cake was described as "beautiful" and "elegant", leaving her in happy tears - and winning her the coveted title of Star Baker.

The Showstopper round was also a triumph for Andrew - who had come bottom of the technical challenge before wowing with his salted caramel cake - and Benjamina, who sobbed over a thin glaze but ended up impressing with her white chocolate and praline concoction.

And if you don't mind, we're now going to go and eat absolutely everything in our fridge.

The Great British Bake Off continues on Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One.