Great British Bake Off 2020 class to be grilled by Sandy Docherty

Sandy Docherty, who appeared initially in the 2015 edition of the popular baking contest, will be giving her opinions of the 2020 class every week on the T&A website.

Sandy Says, online each Wednesday from September 23, will see her become a third judge on the show, alongside Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, as she reviews the previous night's Channel 4 show.

There will be changes to this year's series, including following government guidelines on social distancing and even a new host. Comedian Matt Lucas takes to the tent alongside co-presenter Noel Fielding, replacing Sandi Toksvig.

New T&A signing Sandy, the child protection and welfare officer at Titus Salt School in Baildon, says she cannot wait to give her opinions on the previous night's edition each week.

In 2015 she had the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of millions of viewers when, out of 16,000 applications, she was successfully selected for the Bake Off series.

Viewers soon warmed to Sandy’s down-earth style during her four week stint on the show. She’d hoped to go further but bread week proved to be her nemesis.

She said: "Baking is the culinary version of a hug.

"Pastry wraps things up and makes them feel a little bit better. We want to wrap the world up in pastry at the moment.

Bake Off gives us a little bit of light relief. It will be great for those winter nights we will be having soon

"Matt Lucas will bring masses of humour. He is going to be able to put the contestant's minds at ease.

"I would say to anyone about baking that they should always have a go. What's the worst that could happen? I messed up in front of 17 million people."

Sandy adds the show's move to Channel 4 has made it attractive to younger bakers.

She said: "It's really popular with a different generation now to when it was on the BBC.

"I don't think the older generation tap into it as much as they did, because of the move from the BBC. People are loyal to the BBC."

Meet the Bake Off 2020 contestants here

Sandy says she will be fair with her critique's of the contestant's performances each week, as she has felt the pressure of the Bake Off tent herself.

She said: "In my column I will offer frankness and a Yorkshire sense of honesty.

"I will have empathy and understanding. I will try to be like I'm really there, like a roving reporter.

I know what they are going through, the dynamics and what they can expect

"I will watch it with a different eye. I will watch it for things like I'm one of the judges."

The Great British Bake Off returns for a new series on Tuesday, September 22 at 8pm on Channel 4.