Bake Off viewers back ‘adorable’ Saku to lift the trophy as she steals the show with her ‘joyful’ personality – and some even joke they would ‘die for her’

• The 50-year-old baker from Herefordshire has won hearts around the nation
• READ MORE: GBBO viewers brand BSL interpreter the ‘unsung hero’ of the series – and joke they want to see him sign ‘soggy bottom’ 

As the new series of the Great British Bake Off gets underway, a star is rising with audiences – and it’s not host Alison Hammond.

Saku, a 50-year-old intelligence analyst from Herefordshire, has captured the hearts of viewers around the UK, who have latched onto the ‘cute’ baker and are backing her to win the series.

As she wowed judges with her biscuits last night, viewers took to Twitter to express their support for the mother-of-two, who originally hails from Sri Lanka.

With some describing the baker as ‘the human version of joy and sunshine’, Saku is quickly becoming the star of the series.

As biscuit week got underway and Saku got to work making her pistachio and raspberry marshmallow sandwich biscuits, viewers also laughed at the baker’s insistence that she doesn’t make biscuits very often – ‘only once a week’.

Viewers of the Great British Bake Off have expressed their love for contestant Saku, from Herefordshire, who last night told Alison Hammond she bakes biscuits once a week, but doesn’t think it’s very often

This week’s episode saw the bakers tackle biscuits in a signature, technical and showstopper challenge.

As Saku got to work on her Sicilian-inspired sandwich biscuits during the signature challenge, Alison asked if she has much experience with baking biscuits.

She replied that she usually bakes biscuits once a week, which is ‘not very often’ – but the presenter argued that once a week is actually very frequent.

Saku was unsure, and replied: ‘Every day is often, I think.’ 

When Alison asked if Saku was good at making biscuits, she replied: ‘I hope so!’

Saku, 50, from Herefordshire, revealed her love of pistachios after trying pistachio granita while on holiday in Sicily, which she said was ‘heavenly’

Paul and Prue enjoyed Saku’s pistachio and raspberry marshmallow biscuits – but Paul decided they needed to be baked for longer

Explaining her love of pistachio flavour, Saku told the camera she tried pistachio granita on holiday to Sicily – and absolutely loved the flavour.

‘It’s heavenly!’ she said. ‘I love pistachio.’

Thankfully, it seems the judges agreed and were on board with Saku’s creation – with Prue describing her biscuits as ‘very pretty’.

Paul added: ‘I think your flavours are really good. The jam comes through, the biscuit – you do get that pistachio flavour.’

However the Liverpudlian baker said Saku’s biscuits needed a little bit longer in the oven – much to Saku’s disappointment.

Ahead of the series, Saku revealed she is a self-taught baker who has been inspired by British supermarkets since she moved here 20 years ago.

She claims the native curry spices make for the best pie fillings while liberal sprinklings of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg find their way into her sweeter bakes.

At her family home back in Sri Lanka, Saku didn’t have an oven until she was 18 – but she was introduced to baking when she moved to the UK.

She is now a pro with a whisk and relishes using her homegrown ingredients from her pride and joy – her vegetable patch.

Viewers revealed on Twitter that they are firm fans of Saku, with some even claiming they would ‘die for her’

Posting on Twitter about their new favourite contestant, viewers praised Saku’s joyful nature and said they were supporting her to go all the way.

One viewer declared they had a huge amount of love for the 50-year-old contestant already.

Another said: ‘Everyone on this year’s Bake Off is wholesome and gorgeous but I want Saku to adopt me…

‘Weekly biscuits? Yes please.’

One person who described the baker as ‘adorable’ added: ‘I am completely team Saku!’

And as 27-year-old Josh received a Hollywood Handshake from judge Paul, one viewer pointed out Saku’s face of elation for her fellow contestant, which could be seen in the background.

Posting a screenshot of the sweet moment, the person wrote: ‘The real star of this Hollywood Handshake is Saku in the background.’ 

And more than one viewer admitted they loved the baker so much, they would ‘die for Saku’.  

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