He was the second baker to be booted out of the tent on this series of Great British Bake Off.
And Makbul Patel has taken his exit with a pinch of salt, admitting he found the Twitter criticism of his bakes ‘hilarious.’
The 51-year-old accountant from Manchester failed to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith in biscuit week, witth his Showstopper Indian Chai tea service described as ‘flat and clumsy’ by Hollywood.
Out! He was the second baker to be booted out of the tent on this series of Great British Bake Off. And Makbul Patel has taken his exit with a pinch of salt
Speaking to The Mirror, Mak admitted he didn’t take the criticism to heart, especially comments from Tweeters, saying: ‘The comments on social media after the first episode were hilarious, including the ones that took the mickey out of my bakes.
‘I am not easily offended, you have to take it on the chin, especially as you don’t know the people. All the messages from work mates, friends and family have all been so supportive.’
Admitting on the show that he ‘felt it in my bones’ when he was sent home, Mak gushed that he loved his short stint in the tent, and in particular meeting new host Matt Lucas.
‘Matt was absolutely amazing, and when it got really stressful in the tent because of the time restrictions he was such a support. Noel [Fielding] is so zany and they really bounced off each other,’ he said of the hosting duos.
Time in the tent: The 51-year-old accountant from Manchester failed to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith in biscuit week
Mak also singled out Prue for her praise and support, admitting: ‘I didn’t like the judging process, but I knew the nature of the beast and Paul and Prue were both sensational, Prue was so nice to me and I think she understood me and tried to bring out the best in me at all times – she is a picture of kindness.’
‘I am a realist and I hope I can put things into perspective. Bake Off is a show about cakes, so I didn’t get really emotional about my leaving.
Viewers were up in arms when Matt Lucas announced Mak was leaving the show on Tuesday night.
Support: Admitting on the show that he ‘felt it in my bones’ when he was sent home, Mak gushed that he loved his short stint in the tent, and in particular meeting new host Matt Lucas
Despite Rowan having a disastrous three rounds, with Prue Leith once again mentioning the music teacher didn’t take Paul Hollywood’s advice to ‘rein it in’, Mak was eliminated.
Week two of Bake Off was biscuit themed, where contestants had to create chocolate Florentines, macaroons and a 3D memorable meal show-stopper.
Fans of the show couldn’t believe eccentric music teacher Rowan had escaped leaving the tent by the skin of his teeth.
The baker seemed the clear front runner to face the axe after being unable to finish off his waistcoat Florentines, leaving around half a dozen just covered in chocolate, as well as placing last in the technical with his ‘peculiar piped’ macarons.
Kind: Mak also singled out Prue for her praise and support, admitting: ‘I think she understood me and tried to bring out the best in me at all times – she is a picture of kindness’
Then when he presented his Worse Things Happen At Sea, Paul said: ‘It does look like a lighthouse but it tastes like rubber.’
Prue told him she expects better of him and it was ‘a bit disappointing’.
And so viewers couldn’t believe it when Mak was announced as the evicted baker after failing to impress the judges with his ‘clumsy’ biscuit teapot.
One wrote: ‘I cannot believe that Rowan was saved after his performance this week. Mak has been robbed!!!’.
Narrow escape: Despite Rowan have a disastrous three rounds with Prue Leith once again mentioning the teacher doesn’t take Paul Hollywood’s advice to ‘reign it in’, Mak was evicted
Too ambitious: Rowan seemed the clear front runner to face the axe after being unable to finish off his waistcoat florentines, leaving around half a dozen just covered in chocolate
Another added: ‘GBBO has got me raging!!! How many times can Rowan under deliver???? Poor Mak!!!’, while a third chimed: ‘Poor Mak 🙁 although I love Rowan, I honestly thought he’d be heading home. He’s been told a few times to not promise so much and that hindered him again. Gutted for Mak x’.
A fourth fan of the show added: ‘Mak was ROBBED’, while another said: ‘How did Rowan manage that then,yeah he loving life but mak didn’t deserve to go’.
‘Mak being sent home instead of Rowan is an absolute disgrace!’ typed a different viewer.
For the show-stopper, contestants had to make a 3D biscuit of a memorable meal which will deceives the eye and after a successful two rounds prior, Dave came out as star baker after impressing with his tacos inspired biscuit.
The Great British Bake Off continues on Channel 4 next Tuesday at 8pm.
Over the moon: Dave came out as star baker after impressing with his tacos inspired biscuit
GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF 2020: WHO ARE THE CONTESTANTS?
Occupation: Armoured guard
Why Bake Off? Dave first tried his hand at baking once he left home, after years of relying on his mother’s food. Now living with his girlfriend in Hampshire, his kitchen is filled with Bake Off-inspired appliances and his strengths lie in bread.
Age: 39
Occupation: Accountant
Why Bake Off? Born in Benin, Hermine moved to London in nearly 20 years ago to pursue further education. She made her first cake at the tender age of eight after helping her mother bake for large family events. The French influence in Benin has instilled in Hermine a love of high-end pâtissérie.
Interesting fact: Hermine’s nine-year-old son will only eat sourdough, meaning the bread is her speciality
LAURA
Age: 31
Occupation: Digital manager
Why Bake Off? Laura started baking as a child and returned to the art a few years ago. The Kent native credits working under pressure for being a strong hopeful in the competition. When it comes to her masterpieces, she focuses on mastering ‘pretty and dainty’ decorations.
LINDA
Age: 61
Occupation: Retirement living team leader
Why Bake Off? Linda picked up the hobby from a young age, after frequently visiting her aunt’s dairy farm. As a lover of the countryside, she believes her strengths lie in home-comfort cooking and only uses homegrown produce in her cooking.
LORIEA
Age: 27
Occupation: Diagnostic radiographer
Why Bake Off? The Durham-based chef infuses Caribbean flavours into her food, having lived in Jamaica for 15 years. She learnt how to bake from her grandmother and is used to working well under pressure.
LOTTIE
Age: 31
Occupation: Pantomime Producer
Why Bake-off? Lottie from West Sussex believes she’s inherited her love for baking from her Lancastrian great-grandmother and often swapped toys for cookery books as a child.
What’s she got to say? ‘Coming straight out of lockdown into another lockdown was weird but totally worth it and that first morning was utterly terrifying! As soon as I saw the tent it all started to feel a bit too real!’
MAKBUL
Age: 51
Occupation: Accountant
Why Bake Off? Self-taught baker Makbul from Greater Manchester refined his baking skills through TV shows and famous chefs after cooking as a means to support his beloved mother. Pastries are his speciality, which he usually creates for special occasions like Eid.
MARC
Age: 51
Occupation: Bronze resin sculptor
Why Bake Off? Marc from Cornwall, joined the series in a bid to defy the odds after losing his leg in a motorbike accident in 2016. The bronze resin sculptor credits baking cakes and pastries for healing the mental strain of his injury, after spending his youth climbing mountains.
What’s he got to say? ‘I was incredibly excited, happy and very very nervous. [A special memory was] being surrounded by 11 other great people, all in the competition with me, and I just remember feeling the very positive and exciting energy in the tent.’
Interesting fact: After his accident and return to the UK, Marc, who is a single parent, became a landscape photographer four years after his accident
PETER
Age: 20
Occupation: Accounting & Finance Student
Why Bake Off? Peter started baking when he was 12 and has watched the series since its inception in 2010. Born in Edinburgh, the student ensures he incorporates his cultural background into his cooking and is the competition’s youngest hopeful.
ROWAN
Age: 55
Occupation: Music teacher
Why Bake Off? Rowan from Worcestershire is completely self-taught and specialises in French pâtissérie. The teacher also enjoys updating Georgian-inspired recipes with his own take on the 18th-century and enjoys decorating his masterpieces with flowers from his garden.
SURA
Age: 31
Occupation: Pharmacy dispenser
Why Bake Off? Sura from London pays homage to her Turkish, Iraqi, Iranian, Syrian and Indian heritage by experimenting with a wide range of seasoning in her cooking. An improviser by nature, she particularly enjoys balancing fragrant and floral flavours.
MARK
Age: 32
Occupation: Project manager
Why Bake Off? Northern Irish contestant Mark began experimenting with baking during his time at university. As a project manager for public health research programmes, he tends to experiment with flavours of Africa and Asia after visiting the continents for work.