As a high-flying city project manager, James Hillery, from Brentwood, is used to feeling under pressure but baking in the iconic Bake Off tent for the first time was, he says, far tougher than he ever envisaged.

But the 46-year-old – who lives in Essex with his wife and two sons – says memories of the first time he set eyes on the white tent still send goose bumps down him even now.

“When you see the tip of the tent as you arrive in the grounds, you really do get goose bumps,” he explains. “I still do to be honest as being on GBBO is, for me, just so amazing. I can’t believe it!

“But oh my goodness! Is it harder baking a cake in the tent than working in the city? 100 times, way harder!

“My dad, Brian, first inspired me to bake as he was always baking at home with us and since working in the city, I have found baking a stress reliever. I do have a high pressured job in project management but now I’ve stood in front of Paul and Prue watching them try my cake, work is easy!”

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Readily describing himself as Brentwood’s ‘bald baking banker with a bad back’, the jovial baker had first day nerves like everyone else, he says the friendly atmosphere meant he found himself feeling at ease. Then it was a question of finding his way around his new kitchen workstation, chuckles the 46-year-old. “It’s quite small and so I kept throwing stuff into the sink on the first day,” he adds. “I thought it might be quite regimented but they do put you at ease.

“I decided I wanted the first cake I made in the tent to be one with rhubarb and custard. I knew it was high risk strategy and it needed lots of time to bake but I wanted to give it a go as we all love rhubarb so much in our family!”

Who did he want to impress? “I did want to impress Paul,” he replies. “But Prue’s breadth of knowledge is phenomenal.”

Practising beforehand also paid off. “I literally didn’t stop,” he says. “I kept making so many cakes I think my parents have gained about 14 stone! I am joking but I literally wouldn’t let them leave the house without trying a piece of my cake!”

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As for what the future holds for James, he says being part of this year’s line-up has inspired him to dream about pursuing a different career one day. “My dream would be to own a small holding with a little café on it with fantastic artisan coffee and delicious home made bakes,” enthuses James.

“Bake Off has really reignited my passion for baking and I would love to inspire others, be it helping out at the kids’ school club, blogging my new recipes or running classes. I once lived and travelled in the US, too, and one day, I would love to document the ‘United Bakes of America’. There is such a diverse baking culture that I would love to capture the essence of.”