Birmingham drag star Gabe reaches Bake Off's final six: 'Nigella could do no wrong'

Birmingham drag performer Gabe is through to the final six of The Great British Bake Off, and says representing their adopted city in the famous tent has been "so fab".

Speaking to BBC Radio WM ahead of Tuesday night's episode, the baker, who performs as Blü-Romantic and calls themselves the "daddy of Birmingham drag", said they had planned to treat the show as "any other gig". When it actually happened, it felt "nuts", especially once the new judge, Nigella Lawson, arrived.

"She's so amazing," they said. "I'm in the school of, Nigella could do no wrong."

Three Brummies in the tent

Originally from Grimsby, Gabe has lived in Birmingham for the past 15 years. They are one of three Brummies on this year's Channel 4 series, alongside fellow contestant Mo and presenter Alison Hammond.

Last week viewers watched Gabe make a Balti pie, a tribute to the one-pot dish created 50 years ago in the city's Balti Triangle.

"Birmingham very much is my home," they said. "So I felt like I needed to really represent Birmingham in a big way. Birmingham's got such a great food history. And to be part of that now, realistically, is just so fab."

Bread Week chaos

Bread Week has been Gabe's favourite so far, even though it was "car crash after car crash" as dough after dough came out raw.

"There was something so fun about all of us doing so poorly," they laughed. "There's a real pressure when you get to the tent. After we'd done that technical and no one's flatbreads worked, we all just let out this big sigh because we were like, 'right, okay, well, nothing we can do now can save anything that's happened, so let's just have fun'."

They added: "I feel like Paul was stitching us up, honestly."

A "profound" self-portrait

Gabe first got into baking after watching the first series of Bake Off at the age of 13. In week one of this series they showcased their drag persona in a self-portrait cake, which the judges revealed by smashing a replica mirror to find the hand-painted likeness behind it.

"Nigella called it 'profound'," they said. "I feel like I need to have that like tattooed across my forehead or something. What an amazing compliment."

Gabe has also spoken openly on the show about their two partners, and said that while the public reaction had been "mixed", it had been generally "really positive", with particular support from people in non-traditional relationships.

"They've really showed up and showed out," they said.

How to watch

The Great British Bake Off continues on Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4. With three Brummies in the tent and the Balti already on the menu, Birmingham viewers have plenty of reasons to tune in and cheer them on.