The Great British Bake Off kicked off its new season on Tuesday and fans of the baking competition show wasted no time getting to know the new contestants who have entered the iconic tent.
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However, they were also left moved when, at the end of the episode, a tribute to a "much loved member of the Bake Off family" appeared on screen. "In loving memory of Chloë Avery 1980-20222," a touching In Memoriam read alongside a photo of the late crew member in the closing credits.
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Aged 42, she worked as the longtime culinary producer at Love Productions – the makers of Channel 4's series, which is fronted by Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas and judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
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Chloë's brother Henry announced on Facebook on Monday 22 August, that she had "passed away after a tireless battle against Cancer that started back in December last year".
© Photo: Channel 4Chloë worked on the show as a member of crew
The tribute was also shared on Twitter, which prompted many previous contestants from the show to share their own kind words about Chloë, including last year's winner Giuseppe Dell'Anno who shared a string of heart emojis. 2016's winner Candice Brown also shared a broken heart emoji when sharing the news on her own page.
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The launch episode for the new series saw the 12 new bakers faced with three tough cake challenges, including making a batch of mini sandwich cakes and baking a red velvet cake. For the showstopper, the contestants were asked to create a delicious treat inspired by a home that carried significance for them.
At the end of the episode, 34-year-old personal assistant Janusz was crowned the first Star Baker after impressing the judges with his creations, while 45-year-old former charity director Will was the first baker to be sent home.
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