The Great British Bake Off 2023: Who left Bake Off last night and why was Tasha absent?

One of the most anticipated weeks in The Great British Bake Off arrived last night, chocolate week. Fans were left waiting an extra day for the episode, due to Channel 4’s coverage of England and Italy on Tuesday evening.

Luckily for the contestants, an illness to Tasha, who has won Star Baker for the past two weeks meant she was absent for the show giving at least one baker a reprieve for the next week. She will be back next episode.

The episode kicked off with the classic Signature challenge, as judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood tasked the remaining bakers with producing their own variant of a chocolate torte, which should be a baker’s bread and butter.

It was Rowan that reigned supreme in the signature challenge, with Paul telling him his mocha torte was "beautiful". However, Prue labelled Cirsty’s almond, chocolate and cherry torte as flavourless.

Dan, who was one of those at risk last episode after a disastrous bread week, was looking to bounce back this week. And, he did just that, coming first in the technical with Prue noting that his cheesecakes were the only "perfect" ones.

Despite Rowan and Dan both doing well, it was Matty who won Star Baker. "It wasn’t fair that someone left," Paul explained, adding that two bakers will be eliminated during Pastry Week next week.