A Bolton Great British Bake Off star has spoken on this year’s exciting new start.

Self-taught baker Makbul Patel, from Bolton joined the show last year and was eliminated in the biscuit round.

The accountant went back to his day job but continues to bake whenever he can and has backed Giuseppe and Rochica on this year's show, which aired it second episode of the series yesterday.

He said: “After just the first episode, I didn’t know who to pick out.

"It’s hard even though you are given the recipe and ingredients beforehand and you have 11 weeks to practice, but it’s difficult."

The first week saw the bakers make gravity defying showstoppers, with Tom eliminated after the first round.

For Makbul, his whole household was still busy while he worked and attempted to bake after work.

He said; “I had to cram it but I gave it a fair crack and I was happy for the experience.

"And the GBBO team stay in touch, we still get together, and they help us with any opportunities we might get."

Among this year’s series, which started last week, is Italian, Giuseppe, a chief engineer who pays attention to the intricacy of his design so far.

Makbul said: “Last year Sura and I got on so well and if you just saw her creations, you’d be sure she’d do well, but she got knocked out in the fourth round.

“For me, I can with confidence say if there was no biscuit round, I would have done well.

“I think my pastry is the best and my bread is good, but biscuits are not my thing. You just don’t know how people might stumble.”

Makbul was more than excited to be able to represent Bolton when he took part in the show.

He said: “I was proud to represent Bolton and I kept mentioning it in interviews because it’s part of my heritage and I wanted to mention where I was from.

The pressure in the series will rise as the weeks go by, with Makbul comparing it to preparing and taking an exam.

He said: "It’s like taking past papers, you try to stick to the time but, what should take you two hours ends up taking you longer.

"I made chocolate cake in my kitchen and before long it’s been two and a half hours and I haven’t noticed."

On the show, contestants are not allowed to do anything after the finishing time.

The good thing about the show is the zero washing up required of the bakers, who are simply there to bake.