For the last three weeks, many people have been watching Junior Bake Off on their screens every day. This year's batch of bakers has seen the youngest children ever to get into finals week, the most star bakers of the season and a new judge: bread and pastry chef Ravneet Gill. However, on Friday 29th January, the winner was announced. Be aware that this article will contain spoilers, so don't read it if you haven't yet watched the final!

This year, 16 of Britain's best child bakers have baked it off in the famous white tent. They start off in heats where 8 bakers compete over 5 days of competition . On the first day (cake day) nobody left, but for the next four days, one child was chosen to leave by the judges depending on how well they had done in the two challenges - the technical (in which the bakers are set a mystery task by the judges) and the showstopper (where the bakers are given a briefing of what they have to do but can then make whatever they want on the theme). By the end of the week, we were left with 5 talented young bakers who had secured a place in the "Finals Week". Then the second week's heat saw another 8 bakers enter the tent, the top 5 also joining the Finals Week.

Once in Finals Week, the process began all over again but the standard was much higher. On day one, we saw Maddi (13) eliminated over simplistic donuts, followed by Zac (12) for over-spicy tarts, then Fern (10) for a messy finish and finally Saffiya (14) for a failed choux pastry. This left us with our finalists:

Robbie (15), who shone in many areas and claimed the Star Baker award multiple times.

Naima (10), the youngest competitor, a consistent baker who claimed her first Star Baker in the semi-finals, beating every contestant up to 4 years older than her.

Cece (14), who was my personal favourite to win, bought her Caribbean heritage to many of her exquisitely decorated bakes.

Reece (14),  who claimed the Star Baker title for the first two days of finals week, and also received it 3 times before that in his previous heat.

However, in the final only one could win. First they had to undertake a a tricky signature bake, a challenge only taken by junior bakers on the final, in which they are given a brief of what to bake but flavours and decoration are up to them. The four finalists had to tackle two bakes fit for an afternoon tea: a pastry and an entremet. Reece and Cece did particularly well, Cece making beautiful mirror glaze pudding and Jamacian Beef patties, while Reece created stunning layered mango and sponge entremet and pastry hedgehogs. Then, the bakers had to make their final showstopper of the series; a multiple layered sponge cake for a party. Naima was criticised on her rough decoration but complimented on her flavours for her dream catcher cake, Cece was praised for her vivid ideas and banana buttercream and Robbie amazed the judges with his vivid lemon curd, but Reece stunned the judges with his 3 tiered "J-Bee-O "  cake inspired by bees.

The judges, Liam Charles (a semi-finalist from 3 years ago on the adult Bake Off) and Ravneet Gill said that the final was very close but that Robbie and Reece were the strongest competitors . When host Harry Hill asked who they had decided on, they instantly replied that they knew who it would be. 

Bringing all the bakers up in front of their families at the Bake Off outdoor party, they announced that, after much deliberation, the winner of Junior Bake Off 2020 was Reece. On hearing this, Reece was stunned and couldn't stop thanking the judges.

Following his victory, Reece said, "I can't believe I won Bake Off, it's amazing! I feel wheezy, but in a good way!" Fellow baker Robbie commented," I'm really chuffed for Reece, he's done so well and he deserves it. " 

Reece claimed the famous glass trophy and will now join Finn, last year's winner, as the best young bakers in Britain.