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From a Yorkshire farm to Bake Off fame Down Under

Great Australian Bake Off / Foxtel Elliot Styche laughs as he stands in front of a window during filming for The Great Australian Bake Off. He has short, slicked-back grey hair and wears glasses and a blue shirt with a grey and white fern-leaf design.Great Australian Bake Off / Foxtel
Elliot Styche brings lots of laughter to the Great Australian Bake Off shed

A Yorkshireman who left his family farm to pursue his dreams Down Under is through to the final of The Great Australian Bake Off.

Elliot Styche, 34, grew up the village of Ryehill, near Withernsea, but now works as a vocal coach and musical theatre director in Sydney.

He said he could "not quite believe" he had won his semi-final, after being named star baker for his petit fours.

The final will be broadcast in Australia on Wednesday, at 09:30 GMT.

Among Mr Styche's more extraordinary bakes have been a piano with a flashing dancefloor and a cruise ship biscuit.

But he joked that he "should have done a Withernsea lighthouse", in tribute to a well-known Yorkshire landmark.

"Maybe that's what I'll do for the finale," he said.

Diane Styche holds a iced sponge cake on a glass platter and is flanked by her daughters. Diane has shoulder-length grey hair and wears a blue denim shirt. To her right, Bethany has shoulder-length blonde hair and wears a black top. To her left, Charlotte has shoulder-length brown hair and wears a white woollen jumper.
Mr Styche learned to bake in the family kitchen in Ryehill. His mother Diane is flanked by his sisters Bethany Pearson (left) and Charlotte Harland

Mr Styche's time in the Bake Off shed – the Australian alternative to the famous tent – has not been without difficult moments.

"We've had a couple of undercooked things, a couple of risky decorations, but I've managed to hang on by the skin of my teeth all the way through to the end," he said.

"I definitely feel some pressure, making sure I represent Yorkshire and Hull in the right way over here in Australia."

Mr Styche comes from a long line of bakers, according to his mother Diane.

"My granddad was a pig farmer, but he used to ice wedding cakes and celebration cakes – all the intricate piping," she said.

"I think that's where he is getting a lot of his piping ideas from."

She has been following his progress from the UK, along with his sisters Charlotte Harland and Bethany Pearson.

Ms Harland said: "I always expected him to do well. He's just one of those people, he thrives and he pushes himself really far."

So do they think he will win?

"I really hope so," said Ms Pearson. "It would be the icing on top of the cake."

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