Bake Off: The Professionals sees two seasoned chefs compete to be called the crème de la crème
The winning couple will take home an engraved silver serving tray and the praise that comes with winning the prestigious competition.
Who are the judges?
While Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood are judges on the regular and celebrity versions of Bake Off, they do not appear on The Professionals.
The series is hosted by Benoit Blin and Cherish Armen, who have directed since the first season.
Blin is a French pastry chef who grew up in France and began his culinary career by training at a bakery down the street.
Specializing in desserts, he has 20 years’ experience as head pastry chef at Raymond Blanc’s two-Michelin star Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Relais & Chateaux in Oxford.
In the restaurant he leads a team of 13 pastry chefs in the production of breaks, chocolates, ice cream and pastries.
He is also Chairman of the UK Pastry Club which aims to support future pastry chefs.
Known as the grand dame of British confectionery, Cherish found was born in Singapore where she began her career.
She graduated from culinary school in Singapore and began working at some of the country’s top venues, including Raffles Hotel and the Sheraton.
Finding moved to London in 2001 and is now Executive Pastry Chef at the Langham Hotel, which is said to be where the tradition of tea drinking in Britain began.
Finding’s other TV appearances include Heston’s Great British Food, the UK and Australian versions of MasterChef, An Extra Slice and Junior Bake Off.
Who are the moderators?
Liam Charles was a contestant on season eight of The Great British Bake Off in 2017 and dropped out in week eight, finishing in fifth place.
In 2018 he joined comedian Tom Allen to co-present Bake Off: The Professionals and in 2019 he joined Prue Leith as a judge on Junior Bake Off.
Charles also presented the Channel 4 show Liam Bakes, in which he visits friends and family in his east London area and encourages them to take up baking.
He will also be a judge at the nationwide Platinum Pudding competition, where bakers across the country will try to create a new dessert for the Queen’s Jubilee.
Stacey Solomon will join Charles as presenter, replacing Tom Allen.
She is famous for her appearance in The X Factor season 6 in 2009 where she placed third.
The following year, she won season 10 of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and became the host of I’m a Celebrity: Extra Camp in 2016.
Solomon has been a regular panelist on the talk show Loose Women since 2016 and has also appeared on Celebrity Juice and Celebrity Gogglebox.
She has released several albums since her X Factor days, including her debut Driving Home for Christmas and Shy.
When is Bake Off: The Pros on TV airing?
The first episode of Bake Off: The Professionals Season 5 airs May 24 at 8pm on Channel 4.
Subsequent episodes air weekly at the same time and all episodes can be viewed on All 4 shortly after they first air.