Could Peter win the Great British Bake Off final 2020? The Edinburgh baker's best GBBO showstoppers - and when he competes to win the show

Peter has said he will finish his university degree even if he is the winner of the series

All eyes will be on contestant Peter Sawkins during the Great British Bake Off final.

The Edinburgh student has become a national treasure with his calm demeanour, positive attitude and seriously good cakes.

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Peter really is Scotland’s man of the moment due to his talented performance during the eleventh series of the show.

Peter has become a fan-favourite due to his beautiful creations on Great British Bake Off (PA Media)Peter has become a fan-favourite due to his beautiful creations on Great British Bake Off (PA Media)
Peter has become a fan-favourite due to his beautiful creations on Great British Bake Off (PA Media)

And after wowing the judges in patisserie week and securing Star Baker for the second time, the 20-year-old Edinburgh student is through to the show’s final - without so much as breaking a sweat.

He’s scored a Hollywood handshake, his flavours have actually made Paul smile, and he’s produced some of the most impressive cakes of this season.

So what have Peter’s best bakes been, and how will he fare in the final of the Great British Bake off 2020?

Peter’s best showstoppers

Peter (right) with the rest of the contestants at the beginning of the show (PA Media)Peter (right) with the rest of the contestants at the beginning of the show (PA Media)
Peter (right) with the rest of the contestants at the beginning of the show (PA Media)

Despite being the youngest contestant of the series, Peter has showcased a wealth of baking knowledge, from pastries to ice cream.

It seems there’s nothing edible that he can’t turn his hand to, even if he’s never heard of it.

One such bake was his caged tart, with Peter admitting on-camera that he had no clue what one was.

However, he took on the challenge with confidence and produced a blackcurrant and lemon caged tart which remained in one piece. It tasted so good that Paul even laughed.

Judges Paul and Prue have loved Peter's creations (PA Media)Judges Paul and Prue have loved Peter's creations (PA Media)
Judges Paul and Prue have loved Peter's creations (PA Media)
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Another of his more memorable creations was Peter’s Christmas jelly cake - a complicated creation which Paul described as “very abstract”.

Made to look like a snowglobe, with reindeer and Christmas tree Panna cotta decorations, it really was a fantastic festive creation.

Even though it didn’t impress the judges as much as Hermine’s Japanese poppy jelly cake, Peter pulled through with his beautiful flavours.

He seems to really love Christmas, as his ice cream cake during 80s week was festive-themed, too, featuring mini Christmas puddings on top.

Despite the heat in the tent melting all the contestants’ creations, Peter’s managed to stay fairly intact and he impressed the judges with his boozy flavours.

Last, but certainly not least, Peter’s cube cake from the semi-final was particularly impressive and by far the best out of all the contestants.

He opted for a chocolate, raspberry and pistachio construction and seemed quietly confident throughout the challenge.

The final result was a beautifully-stacked, beautifully-glazed and beautifully-tasting cube cake that the judges aptly described as “beautiful”.

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That creation resulted in his second Star Baker accolade, sending Peter straight through to the final.

What will Peter do if he wins the final?

Peter is known in the tent as the “baby-faced assassin” (a nickname he apparently loves), because he quietly and confidently manages to produce gorgeous and tasty bakes each week.

His clever consistency means he has a strong chance of winning the programme, especially as other finalists Dave and Laura are perhaps not so consistent with their creations, with Laura especially being prone to melt-downs.

Peter, of course, already knows whether or not he has triumphed - the show was filmed in the summer and he has been back baking in his student flat since then.

He admitted to Radio Times that he’s done well at keeping the result quiet: “Lots of people ask, in quite a tongue-in-cheek way, how I got on and I’m well practised at batting those questions off as a joke. Two of my flatmates this year don’t know how I did.”

Even if he wins the final, Peter has said he won’t be stopping his studies of accounting and finance in Edinburgh.

He said: “I’m still cracking on with my university work and trying to get the best out of my uni experience and degree programme.

“I have two years of study left and I certainly won’t be stopping before I’ve achieved my degree. I don’t know what will arise from all of this, but I’m at an exciting time in my life.”

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Life in the public eye is already catching up with Peter, as he admitted he has been stopped in the street for pictures and his Instagram followers have gradually increased to over 50,000.

Speaking of the Bake Off experience, he said: “It was an intense environment with everyone at close quarters, but we all got on so well and we’re still in touch.

“I’m very much looking forward to a time when we can all get together again in person.”

Who is Peter Sawkins?

Peter is a 20 year old student from Edinburgh who is studying accounting and finance.

He grew up watching The Great British Bake Off, which actually inspired him to first start baking for himself.

He has watched every series since the first one in 2010, and has been baking seriously since he was 12 years old.

Peter actually applied for the 2018 series, getting a “few rounds” into the application process, but he’s since said he’s glad he wasn’t successful, with the extra time meaning he was more prepared for this year’s show.

The Scot likes to include native ingredients in his creations – such as berries, whisky, oats and honey – whenever he can.

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Peter has admitted his strengths are “time management and planning” and his weaknesses are “artistic decoration and bread baking”.

Speaking about appearing on The Great British Bake Off, he said: “[I was] absolutely chuffed! It was a long and uncertain path getting to the tent.

“I was just so excited to get baking in the tent and fulfil this amazing dream.”

When he’s not baking, Peter enjoys playing badminton which he has competed in for over a decade.

When is the final of Bake Off on?

The Bake Off Final will air on Tuesday 24 November, at 8pm on Channel 4.