SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S EPISODE
He’s had women swooning into their pastry dough since the very first episode of Great British Bake Off 2016 – but tonight it was Selasi’s turn to leave the famous marquee.
The heart-throb banker, whose ability to stay cool under pressure (and create killer cakes) earned him leagues of fans from the start of the show’s 7th series, sadly failed to impress Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood enough to remain in the competition right up to the final.
Characteristically upbeat, Selasi wasn’t crying into his palmiers after his fate had been decided.
“It’s a massively great achievement for me personally, and my family, to get to the semi finals,” he said. “It’s been absolutely amazing, splendid, I loved it all. I was almost at the last hurdle, and then I dropped the ball. I can’t blame anyone else but myself, I was sorry to be going but also accepted it at the same time.”
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The semi-finals were the first time that Selasi actually momentarily lost his cool - pacing to and fro as he willed his pastry creations to cook in time (his pacing didn't work!). But even though the unflappable contestant did have a little flap, he admitted he was very partial to his new nicknames.
“I have read that I am known as Mr Cool, or the chuckling Zen banker, that does make me smile,” he said. “I am very laid back and that can be scary sometimes because I am so chilled. I feel you don’t need to panic, I look at things in the best way possible and being an optimist think that’s the best way to get through life.”
He laughed too about his relationship with Benjamina, which had earned him and her the shared moniker Benjalasi.
“We have such a good sister/brother relationship,” he admitted. “We had such a great bonding in the tent, and she laughed at my jokes. The bakers have a very special relationship,” he went on. “We bonded from the first day, and now we talk every single day - it’s so nice that we have all kept great friends.”
And it wasn’t just us who were heartbroken to see Selasi leave the tent. “No one is more sad than me to say goodbye to Selasi,” said Mary after the show. “What a great character and what a baker.”
“I am very proud of Selasi,” added Paul. “I think he is a great baker, and he will carry on baking.”
Who do you think will be crowned winner of the Great British Bake Off 2016?
