Bake Off winner 'can't remember' moment of victory

The Great British Bake Off winner says they have no memory of the moment they found out they had won.

Spoiler alert - don't read on if you don't want to know the name of the winner.

David Atherton from Yorkshire beat Alice Fevronia and Steph Blackwell to be named Bake Off series 10 champion.

The 36-year-old told Sky News: "It was so overwhelming coming out of the tent because we'd been there each week and we got used to it with all the crew and the cameras.

"But coming out at that last moment and those crowds of people, it was really overwhelming. And I have no memory of it at all."

The self-declared underdog was the bookies' least favourite to win the final, but an almost perfect performance in the last three challenges saw him take home the coveted trophy.

While Steph and Alice had won star baker several times (Steph a record four times and Alice twice), David had never been named star baker.

It's something he thinks actually gave him the edge.

"I didn't really think I had a chance, which meant I was really calm. So I just decided to enjoy it, which I think was the thing that won it for me."

Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, David also came second in the unseen technical round six times.

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He thinks it's likely his job as an international care adviser helped him keep his cool.

"I'm quite a calm person, and with the work I do I have to deal well with stress and pressure".

He credits spending time as a voluntary service overseas worker in Malawi and seeing people cope with much more challenging things and remain positive as his secret to remaining relaxed.

After often missing the mark with his flavours despite impressive presentation skills, David saved his best performance until last, creating an illusion picnic basket from cake, bread and biscuits.

It was a performance he re-watched as it aired with fellow-finalists Steph and Alice after filming the spin-off show An Extra Slice.

He says the friendships on the show are entirely real.

"The production company said that this year particularly we were very close, and we would chat all through the week as we were practising.

"If things went wrong, we would give each other advice on things. So we were a really close-knit group."

Almost exactly a year after first applying for the show, he shared an inspirational message on Instagram urging others to step outside their comfort zones and give new challenges a go.

"I didn't think I'd get through the auditions and now I'm writing this as the winner of series 10.

"Can people just go for it please? Apply for things, push boundaries, but through it all be kind and be yourself."

After taking a mini break from baking following his victory, he says he's back in the kitchen.

"I haven't really baked a cake with icing since the final. But I will never stop baking bread."

He now plans to write a healthy cook book "to encourage healthy eating at the same time as enjoying really tasty bakes".

But while he's keen on clean living, he says it's all about moderation.

"I think it's OK to have a big slab of cake with fancy icing on every now and again, you just wouldn't have it every day for breakfast."