Bake Off winner Georgie Grasso explains why winning the show changed everything
Georgie Grasso has just been crowned the winner of the Great British Bake Off 2024 competition and said "it's everything" in an emotional speech after she won. Surrounded by her fellow contestants, friends and family, the 34-year-old was visibly moved as she celebrated the win, bouncing up and down, hugging the other contestants before shouting: "I did it!"
The Welsh winner was also seen falling over, and almost dropping the trophy after hearing the news. She said: "I cannot believe I won it. It's just everything. It's just incredible. I cannot believe I've won the Great British Bake Off. It just means everything. I've always been so self doubtful - I've got this, I've got that wrong with me. I can't do it and make excuses.
"But I just thought for once I'm going to go for it and I'm going to put my everything into it. Working all the hours. I've sacrificed things with the kids, my family and I'm just so proud of myself because I've just proven to myself that I can do something. I am already feeling sad that I'm not coming back here." For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter
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Paul Hollywood said after she won: "The Welsh wonder Georgie smashed it out of the park." Paul even persuaded her to roll down the hill in a fun moment after she received the unexpected news, following her saying to Prue in the clip shown as she won the competition that she "wasn't expecting it".
Georgie said in the final episode that the process has brought her and her husband "closer" as her husband has helped support her more with family life. During the episode, clips of her enjoying time with her family in the Welsh countryside were shown, with her husband speaking of how proud he was of her.
He said: "Georgina often thinks of other people before herself. So it will be nice to have a limelight shone on her."
Georgie has spoken publicly about some of her mental health struggles, and some of the more challenging life experiences she has faced, noting previously that she is still figuring herself out and finding herself. You can read more about Georgie and who she is here.
Her husband added: "Hopefully she'll bring it home for the Welsh." The significance of Georgie being a Welsh contestant didn't go unnoticed by Alison Hammond, who added: "You are the very first Welsh contestant in the final. You're doing it for Wales."
During the episode, the contestants were tasked with putting their own stamp on scones for the first round. And despite Georgie criticising her final product, noting: "Mine didn't rise very well at all", the judges were suitably impressed.
The technical challenge consisted of creating an afternoon tea display in three hours, made up of small sandwiches, tarts and cakes. Georgie said while baking that although it "wasn't the most difficult thing", it was "a matter of time" that made this section a challenge.
But Georgie's show stopper was where she really shone through, as her Summer Garden Celebration Hanging Cake which included elderflower buttercream, champagne elderflower mascarpone chantilly, lemon curd and strawberry and champagne confit. While making it, Georgie said: "You can do this without the champagne, but I'm using champagne because it's the final."
Trying Georgie's cake, Prue said it was "utterly delicious". And as the judges weighed up who would be crowned the Bake Off winner for 2024, a clip was shown of them singing the praises of her showstopper. Paul said "I think she did pretty well. She's been pretty constant."
When Noel Fielding came over to chat to Georgie as she was baking, she said that she was in full "ADHD spiral", as she juggled all of the different tasks she needed to power through to achieve the best bake possible. Georgie has spoken about being affected by ADHD on her social media channels previously, where she explained: "I’ve lived half my life struggling with the ups and downs and trying to navigate how to live with certain conditions. I have massively struggled and I have been victim to the stigma of especially ADHD.”
