This week former model Ruby Tandoh made it through to the Great British Bake Off final alongside fellow bakers Francis Quinn and Kimberley Wilson.
Essex-born Ruby is a former teenage model and was briefly signed to Models 1, one of the leading modelling agencies. The beautiful 21-year-old is now studying philosophy and history of art at University College London and has received many compliments on Twitter from male admirers while she has been on the show, such as: ‘Ruby is the perfect woman’, ‘I think I’m in love’ and ‘the most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen’.
However, some seem to think the Bake-Off finalist has used her model good looks to get through, rather than her skill at baking, and she has received a torrent of online abuse:
“You are crap at baking,” snarled a viewer on Twitter. “Your opera cake was rubbish. Go back home E.T.” Another post hinted at an onscreen flirtation with judge Paul Hollywood, “Just because Hollywood gets bribed with ‘special favours’ it doesn’t mean she can bake,” and there have even been suggestions that she’s “letting down other women” by adopting “puppy dog eyes”.
Others have called her “meek”, “boring” and accused her of false modesty, Jan Moir in the Daily Mail said of the former model: “Like chocolate being prepared for a Black Forest topping, her false modesty is really beginning to grate.”
Ruby didn’t appear very “meek” as she hit back and responded to one Twitter critic calling her “A bitter old witch”! After the exchange made headlines, she deleted her recipe blog and took a Twitter sabbatical, calling it “bad for the soul” and saying the incident had revealed “the seedy underbelly of nice pastel-hued GBBO. But must try to save pent-up anger for pummelling bread dough instead”.
Ruby received a fresh flush of criticism online this week as she got through to the final of the Bake-Off, with many many viewers berating her weepy performance and suggesting she only survived because the judges felt sorry for her. Lorenzo Cibrario wrote: ‘I really just can’t stand Ruby. Stop crying all the time.’ Beth Sykes added: ‘I swear Ruby has spent most of her time crying instead of baking.
Despite splitting the general public, the former model has been made the favourite to beat the other two finalists and publishers are said to be preparing to approach the Essex-born student to write a cookery book, which could lead to her own TV show.
Whether you love her or hate her you can’t deny her appearance on the show has certainly boosted the shows viewing figures -The Bake Off will move to BBC1 for the next series after attracting BBC2’s best audience this year with an average of seven million!
The team here at Talent Management have enjoyed watching Ruby on The Great British Bake Off this Summer and we think her bakes look delicious! We are sad it is coming to an end and we wish Ruby, Francis and Kimberley the best of luck for the final next week! Whisks, chocolate and tissues at the ready!
Who do you want to win?
