Ruby Tandoh comes out as gay (original) (raw)

Former Great British Bake Off finalist Ruby Tandoh has come out as gay, with a little help from a Motown superstar.

The 23-year-old, who lost out in the fourth Bake Off final in 2013 to designer Frances Quinn, tweeted a link to Diana Ross’s disco hit I’m Coming Out and revealed she had told her parents about her sexuality.

She also hit out at “misogynists” who had accused her of flirting with one of the BBC show’s judges, Paul Hollywood, to reach the final three in the show - claims she responded to at the time in the Guardian.

Tandoh said on Twitter: “p.s. for those who thought I fancied Paul Hollywood or that I’d ever bang him to get ahead - Joke’s on you, you massive shitting misogynists”.

Hollywood denied claims that he had given her preferential treatment because of her looks.

Writing in the Guardian in October 2013, Tandoh said: “I am tired of defending myself against the boring, inevitable accusations of flirting with Paul Hollywood, of emotionally manipulating the judges and of somehow surfing into the final on a tidal wave of tears.

“I’d rather eat my own foot than attempt to seduce my way to victory, and even if I had any intention [of] playing that card, it’s insulting to both the judges to suggest that they’d ever let their professional integrity be undermined in that way.”

Originally from Southend and now living in North London, Tandoh, who published a cookbook Crumb: The Baking Book last year, studies philosophy and history of art at UCL and also writes the Ruby Bakes series for the Guardian.

After dozens of well-wishers replied to Tandoh’s post, she later wrote on Twitter: “so grateful for all the positivity- it’s so emboldening to those still mustering the courage to come out. a huge rainbow-coloured THANK YOU.”

The Great British Bake Off, which first aired on 17 August 2010, has spawned five series and won two Bafta awards. The final of the last series gained an overnight viewing figure of 12.29 million.