Matty Edgell, winner of the 2023 Great British Bake Off, has disclosed the amount contestants are paid per episode and clarified that there is no cash prize for winning the show. The Cambridgeshire-born PE and science teacher, who triumphed in the final against Josh Smalley and Dan Hunter, shared details of the financial arrangements behind the scenes.
According to Edgell, each baker receives £300 for every episode they appear on, but the winner does not receive any prize money. Instead, the victor is awarded a bouquet of flowers and the iconic glass cake stand. Contestants are also given between £1,200 and £1,500 to spend on ingredients and practice bakes.
Edgell advised contestants to budget carefully, noting that costs vary significantly by week. He described chocolate week as particularly expensive due to the price of chocolate, while bread week is cheap as it requires only flour, yeast and water. He recommended shopping at budget supermarkets such as Aldi to make the money go further.
Beyond the show, Edgell became a first-time father in December when his wife gave birth to a daughter named Lila. He announced the news on social media, expressing his joy and gratitude. Reflecting on his Bake Off victory, he admitted it felt surreal to watch himself win and revealed he was initially unaware that his then-girlfriend, now wife, had entered him into the competition.
