Bake Off: Preview tonight's theme and challenges

It's back to school week tonight on The Great British Bake Off! Watch or stream the episode from 8pm on Channel 4.

The nation’s favourite baking competition returns with another mouth-watering instalment, as hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond welcome a brand-new class of hopeful bakers to the iconic white tent. Over the course of the series, they’ll face 30 inventive challenges, carefully crafted by the formidable judging duo, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

This week, Bake Off is going back to school with a special theme brimming with childhood nostalgia. For the Signature challenge, the bakers must reinvent a beloved canteen staple – the humble flapjack – balancing sticky sweetness with texture and flavour that elevates the everyday traybake into something truly exceptional.

Next comes the Technical, where Paul and Prue task the bakers with recreating a school-dinner classic: the retro iced sponge cake. But there’s a hidden twist that could trip up even the most confident contestants, testing not only their technical precision but also their ability to keep calm under classroom-style pressure.

Finally, the week culminates in a Showstopper fit for a school fete, where the bakers must summon every ounce of creativity and skill to produce a spectacular spread of nostalgic treats. Think towering displays, playful designs, and flavours that capture the magic of childhood summers on the school playing field.

As always, the stakes are high: who will rise to the top of the class with gold-star bakes, and who will be handed their notice by Mr Hollywood and Ms Leith, leaving the Bake Off tent for good?