Great British Bake Off 2013: Meet the contestants

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood are preparing to put 13 new contestants to the test in the new series of The Great British Bake Off.

Click here to see the contestants

The first episode, to be aired on Tuesday, will see Mary and Paul expel two contestants, leaving 11 hoping to replicate the success of last year's winner John Waite, who has released two cookery books since claiming victory and tours around the country.

This year's contestants include 30-year-old Toby, a web programmer who brings "a sense of organised chaos into his baking", and Deborah, a 51-year-old dentist who discovered a passion for baking during her Domestic Sciences class.

Kimberley, 30, is a psychologist who creates food that "tells a story" such as 'peace' bread representing flavours from "conflict religions around the world".

Ex graphic designer Howard, 51, now works for the council. He says his food ranges from "traditional comfort food to the outrageously elaborate".

Great British Bake Off contestant Toby (BBC/Love Productions)

Great British Bake Off contestant Kimberley (BBC/Love Productions)

Christine, 66, has the most baking experience among the others with 60 years under her belt and was taught to bake by her mother and both grandmothers.

Great British Bake Off contestant Rob (BBC/Love Productions)

Great British Bake Off contestant Christine, (BBC/Love Productions)

The competition will continue for ten weeks before one is crowned champion in the bake-off tent. The hopefuls will be asked to produce a sandwich cake as their first task. Those who progress to the second round will then be expected to produce an Angel Food Cake as part of Mary's technical challenge.

In the Showstopper challenge, the amateur bakers will be expected to impress judges by creating something using chocolate.