‘Great British Baking Show’ Star Dylan Bachelet Opens Up About Sex Symbol Status & American Fans

Dylan Bachelet might not have won the 15th season of The Great British Baking Show, but he did win over viewers on both sides of the Atlantic as the clear fan favorite of the season.

The 20-year-old former retail assistant from Buckinghamshire, who finished as a runner-up on last week’s Baking Show finale, has been opening up about his experience on the show, his new status as a sex symbol, and what the future holds for his baking career.

Speaking to The Guardian, Bachelet touched on the New York Times recently describing him as “the Captain Jack Sparrow of baking,” which he said was totally unexpected.

“The weirdest part was that it wasn’t in the food section, it was in the fashion pages. A lot of coverage has been about my appearance, but people seem to like it, so that’s all good,” he said before adding, “It would be a pretty sick life… on a boat with a bunch of your mates, just sailing around. If I could be the actual Jack Sparrow of baking, that would be wicked.”

With his long dark hair and goatee, Bachelet stood out among his fellow bakers in the Baking Show tent. His recognizable looks have now brought him extra attention while out in public.

“Walking around London last week, I was getting recognized every five minutes,” he shared. “I’d go to the supermarket and get stopped in every aisle. People were wishing me luck for the final. Everyone I met was lovely. Although I have been sent a few creepy DMs.”

@britishbakeoff Dylan just being Dylan. #GBBO ♬ original sound – The Great British Bake Off

Addressing his newfound sex symbol status, Bachelet admitted, “I’ve never been ogled before. It’s not something I’d ever lean into. I won’t be starting an OnlyFans. My sister sent me TikTok clips of me blow-torching a meringue in slow motion.”

It wasn’t just his looks that earned Bachelet a dedicated fanbase but also his impressive baking skills. Many of his creations were inspired by his family heritage (his mother is Indian, and his father is Japanese-Belgian), mixing sweetness and spice in elaborate designs. Over the course of the season, he won two Star Baker accolades, three Technical challenges, and three coveted Paul Hollywood handshakes.

Despite being the betting favorite heading into the final, Welsh pediatric nurse Georgie Grasso was ultimately crowned the winner. But Bachelet holds no ill will, saying, “She totally deserved it… Her cakes were awesome. Mine were poor.”

 

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Bachelet now works as chef de partie at The Five Fields in Chelsea, London, a Michelin-starred restaurant. “It’s been a steep learning curve, but it’s a great environment,” he said. “The pressure is way higher in a professional kitchen than the tent. Bake Off was fun and you were in control. In the restaurant, get things wrong and you’re stuffed.”

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He also shared how his employers knew he’d been on the Baking Show but didn’t know how well he’d done. “When people asked [how I had fared], I said, ‘Sorry guys, I’ve signed an NDA,'” he joked.

Even though he didn’t win, Bachelet described his time on the Baking Show as “life-changing,” adding, “It brought me a lot of happiness and friends I’ll treasure forever. We’re all seeing each other this weekend, which will be a nice reunion.”

As for what’s next, Bachelet wants to continue improving his baking abilities and has dreams of opening his own restaurant one day. He also wants to travel to the United States, where he amassed quite a following throughout the season, which aired on Netflix.

“I’ve never actually been to the States, so it’s surreal they know about me over there… I’d love to go,” he shared.

The Great British Baking Show, Streaming, Netflix