Greenwich firefighter Mat Riley has vowed never to make a Charlotte Russe again, after his Bake Off demise in last night's show (September 16).

Mat has admitted he felt out of his depth in the Bake Off tent, after becoming the seventh contestant to leave the show - just a week after being crowned Star Baker.

The 37-year-old fireman is now busy preparing to become a dad for the first time - and moved house yesterday with his TV presenter wife Alex Beard, who works for London Live.

Since leaving the show, Mat said: "I felt from the beginning that I was surrounded by better bakers, my knowledge was nowhere near their level.

"I knew I was out of my depth in Victorian week with the techniques and the bakes involved.

"Some of the recipes we were given in advance but I never practised because I didn't ever expect to get to week seven.

"I know for sure I won't ever make a Charlotte Russe ever again!

"It went quite badly on the show but I said to Mary [Berry] it was actually the best one I ever made.

"You are trying to cage a jelly with one of the world's flimsiest biscuits, it's a crazy thing to make."

Last night's Victorian themed episode has already been dubbed "the one with the burnt icing" after Mat mistakenly put a fully glazed cake in the oven.

 


 

Mat added: "To have been on Bake Off, become a father for the first time, and move house, is pretty life changing.

"It's been an incredible adventure and I am now just waiting for the fun to start with a new baby."

Victorian week saw the bakers challenged with making a raised game pie, tennis cake - a fruit cake decorated with a tennis court made from icing - and Charlotte Russe.

 


 

Riley - who had been crowned Star Baker for his vol-au-vents the previous week - had a problem with the green sugar paste for his tennis cake, prompting judge Paul Hollywood to describe it as, "the tennis court from Hades".

Meanwhile, Tamal Ray took the title of Star Baker for the first time after wowing with his spiced Charlotte Russe, which he managed to support using only jelly on the bottom, instead of the traditional sponge.

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