She may have won the show in 2014, but Great British Bake Off’s Nancy Birtwhistle has revealed it was actually her second attempt on the show.

In an interview with BBC Good Food magazine, Birtwhistle said she entered the show three years ago and only made the top 50.

“I decided to try again the following year, but this time without telling anyone. Only my husband, Tim, knew,” she said.

Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle
Nancy Birtwhistle (BBC Good Food Magazine)

She went on to beat 12,000 entrants to win the show as 12.3 million viewers tuned in to watch her take the title.

Nancy also revealed how meeting the judges, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, was referred to as the “royal visit” by the film crew.

“You’d see Mary and Paul come into the tent and watch them at a neighbouring bench before they came over to you.”

The July issue of BBC Good Food magazine (BBC Good Food Magazine)
The July issue of the BBC Good Food magazine (BBC Good Food Magazine)

Her advice to this year’s contestants is to book their hair appointments in advance.

“If you’re there for the full 10 weeks,” she explains, “there’s virtually no time to do anything other than bake at home.”

The new series of The Great British Bake Off starts in August on BBC One.