The Great British Baking Show (also known as The Great British Bake Off ) in the UK) is back - and this time, one of the bakers is making history. Tasha Stones, 27, is the first deaf contestant to test her skills in the much-loved competition series, the BBC reports.
Tasha is accompanied by her British Sign Language interpreter Daryl, who was introduced with the hosts in week one. "It was a very special moment to see him up front and feel completely part of the show," Tasha told the BBC.
Tasha has made quite an impression in the first few weeks of the latest season, which premiered on Netflix on September 29. The judges named her the star baker for Biscuit Week and Bread Week two weeks in a row.
Tasha wrote on Instagram that the first win "means a lot." second? Well, that’s the icing on the cake – er, the bread. "This is the second time in a row that I'm posting this news and it just blows my mind... oh my god," she told her fans, who celebrated the moment with her.
It's clear that Tasha belongs on this show, but she barely applied in the first place. She told Channel 4 that she only filled in the application form at the last minute, despite her manager "badgering" her after every episode of the previous season, Radio Times reported.
"When I got the Zoom call telling me I was one of the 12, I cried!" she shared, adding that Daryl was a "mess" around her.
Below, learn more about Tasha's work, social media, and her delicious creations.
What is Tasha's job?
Despite the brilliance of their creations, The Great British Baking Show contestants are all amateur bakers - Tasha's day job is as an Engagement Officer in Bristol, England. Specifically, at a children's charity.
Before that, she worked as a ski instructor in Japan. Apparently, baking is just one of her many talents!
What does Tasha share on Instagram?
Tasha's Instagram documents her journey to The Great British Baking Show - although baking isn't her main job, she's been practicing it for a long time. As her GBBO bio states, "In middle school, she was making cakes for friends and soon her food technology teacher encouraged her to develop her skills as a hobby."
In fact, Tasha's first cake post was a cake she made for someone's 18th birthday in 2014. Dessert continues from there. Many of the decorations are elaborate, such as a festive cake featuring mice playing in the snow.
She also recently created an impressive Arsenal-themed birthday cake for a loved one. So while her earliest credits on the show may have been for cookies and bread, she's more than capable of creating a masterpiece worth celebrating.
Tasha's social media isn't just focused on baked goods, though. Her bio documents her love of travel, and her Instagram features photos from trips to Greece, Kyrgyzstan, France and more.
