Introducing Tom Hovey, the man behind the stunning artwork on BBC One's hit reality show.
A whopping 9.3 million viewers tuned into BBC One this week to catch the first episode of the new series of The Great British Bake-Off, and illustration fans, in particular, have a treat in store with season six.
That's right: Welsh illustrator Tom Hovey is back. His charming animated illustrations of the recipes have delighted audiences of the multi-BAFTA-award-winning show since its inception in 2010.
Hovey was working in London as an editing assistant for a production company when he landed the job. "When they were putting it together they realised something was missing, a visual element in the show to help visualise what the bakers are doing. It's quite hard to figure out what they are trying to make. So I pitched a few ideas and got the gig," he told Wales Online.
Now based in Bristol, where he freelances under the name Tom Hovey Illustration, the artist has been busy bringing season six's tasty creations to life - including a more triumphant version of contestant Dorret Conway's ill-fated Black Forrest gâteau.
With the first episode in the bag, we can't wait to see the rest of Hovey's beautiful illustrations. In the meantime, feast your eyes on some of his classic artwork from The Great British Bake-Off over the years - and keep an eye on Hovey's Twitter and Instagram feeds, where he regularly posts illustrated updates from the show.
Tom Hovey for The Great British Bake-Off: Dorret Conway’s Black Forrest gâteau
Tom Hovey for The Great British Bake-Off: Norman's Pieful Tower
Tom Hovey for The Great British Bake-Off: Howard's Tower
Tom Hovey for The Great British Bake-Off: Mary's Tiramisu Cake
Tom Hovey for The Great British Bake-Off: Beca's 'Cheese' Cake
Tom Hovey for The Great British Bake-Off: Nancy's Red Windmill
Tom Hovey for The Great British Bake-Off: Mary's Fondant Fancies
Julia is editor-in-chief, retail at Future Ltd, where she works in e-commerce across a number of consumer lifestyle brands. A former editor of design website Creative Bloq, she’s also worked on a variety of print titles, and was part of the team that launched consumer tech website TechRadar. She's been writing about art, design and technology for over 15 years.
