Great British Bake Off: Emotional James ‘gutted’ after getting the boot as Sophie is crowned star baker

The proof wasn't in the pudding for banker James who was sent packing
All over: James Hillery is out
Love Productions / Channel 4
Emma Powell26 September 2017

James Hillery has become the latest Bake Off casualty after he struggled to get to grips with pudding week.

The “bald baking banker with a bad back” finished seventh in the technical challenge and failed to impress the judges with his trifle terine showstopper, which judge Paul Hollywood described as “all wrong”.

Hillery – who looked close to tears as Noel Fielding announced that he was getting the boot – said the whole experience had been “humbling”.

“My time has come,” he said. “Gutting. I wanted to do this to put myself against other really good bakers to see how good I was.

Star baker: Sophie Faldo won over the judges
PA

“To be part of that has been really humbling.”

But it was good news for Sophie Faldo who was crowned star baker after ‘stepping up to the plate’.

The Great British Bake Off 2017 - The Contestants

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The baking enthusiast – who came first in the technical challenge – went on to win over Hollywood and fellow judge Prue Leith with her showstopper.

Hollywood said: “With The showstopper Sophie stepped up to the plate to produce one of those bakes you just want to keep going back to.”

This week saw the contestants tasked with making a steamed pudding in the signature challenge, six chocolate puddings filled with hot peanut butter in the technical and a trifle terrine for the showstopper.

Elsewhere Liam Charles feared for his safety in the competition after his sloppy jelly reduced him to tears, while Stacey Hart came close to getting star baker after presenting Hollywood with a “fantastic” lime, mint and chilli showstopper.

Next week it's all about the pastry as the contestants enter Pie Week.

The Great British Bake Off is on Channel 4, on Tuesday at 9pm.