Tasha Is The Great British Baking Show’s First Deaf Contestant

The Great British Baking Show (or The Great British Bake Off, as it’s called in the UK) is back — and this time, one of its bakers is making history. Per the BBC, 27-year-old Tasha Stones is the first deaf contestant to test her skills on the beloved competition series.

Tasha is accompanied by her British Sign Language interpreter, Daryl, who was introduced alongside the hosts in Week 1. “Seeing him up at the front and feeling fully part of the show was a really special moment,” Tasha told the BBC.

In her first few weeks on the latest season, which premiered Sept. 29 on Netflix, Tasha has made quite the impression. The judges named her Star Baker two weeks in a row, for both Biscuit Week and Bread Week.

The first win “meant the world,” Tasha wrote on Instagram. The second? Well, that one was icing on the cake — er, bread. “Blowing my mind that I’m posting this for the second time in a row.. oh my GOSH,” she told her followers, who celebrated the moment with her.

Clearly, Tasha belongs on the show, but she almost didn’t apply in the first place. She only filled out the application last minute, even though her manager had been “badgering” her about it after every episode last season, she told Channel 4, per the Radio Times.

“When I had the Zoom call to tell me I was one of the 12, I cried!” she shared, adding that Daryl was a “mess” right alongside her.

Below, learn more about Tasha’s work, social media, and her delicious creations.

What’s Tasha’s Job?

Despite their seriously skilled creations, Great British Baking Show contestants are amateur bakers — and Tasha’s day job is working as a participation officer in Bristol, England. Specifically, at a children’s charity.

Before that, she was a ski instructor in Japan. Clearly, baking is just one of her many talents!

What Does Tasha Share On Instagram?

Tasha’s Instagram documents the path that led her to the Great British Baking Show — even though baking isn’t her primary job, she’s been practicing it for quite a while. As her GBBO bio states, “At secondary school, she made cakes for her friends and was soon encouraged by her food technology teacher to develop her skills as a hobby.”

Tasha’s first cake post is, indeed, of a cake she made for someone’s 18th birthday back in 2014. The confections continue from there. Many are quite elaborately decorated, such as a festive cake topped with mice playing in the snow.

She also recently made an impressive Arsenal-themed birthday cake for a loved one. So, while her earliest accolades on the show may be for biscuits and bread, she’s more than capable of crafting a celebratory masterpiece.

Tasha’s social media presence isn’t exclusively devoted to baked goods, though. Her bio notes her love of travel, and her Instagram displays snaps from trips to Greece, Kyrgyzstan, France, and beyond.