Maggie Beer will return to Great Australian Bake Off for a special guest appearance

Maggie Beer will return to our screens in the Great Australian Bake Off but admits it was strange to step back on the set.

Culinary icon and former judge Maggie Beer returns for a special guest appearance on the Great Australian Bake Off, as 12 new bakers don their aprons for the new season launching next month.

Beer – who helmed alongside Matt Moran for five seasons of the wholesome reality cooking show – said while it was strange to step back on the set, it was lovely to work with the new judges Darren Purchese and Rachel Khoo and hosts Cal Wilson and Natalie Tran.

“The shed is so special to me, and it was a delight to be there and get a little glimpse of the new team who made me feel so welcome,” Beer said, adding while it was a sweet taste of her former role, she wasn’t missing TV land with her efforts firmly focused on the Maggie Beer Foundation and its work in transforming food in the aged care sector.

“My life is so overtaken by the Foundation. I say that in a positive way, but I’ve really got too much to make work in the rest of the time I have in life.”

Maggie Beer makes a one-off special appearance on Great Australian Bake Off with the new panel - Cal Wilson, Rachel Khoo, Darren Purchese and Natalie Tran. Picture: Foxtel

The new batch of home bakers rising to the challenge of GABO’s seventh season are Adam Miller, Vic; Felicity Dobson, WA; Gavin Turner, Qld; Galya Dissanayake, NSW; Guillermo Urra, Vic; Ilona Nicola, Vic; Laura Foo, Vic; Laurent La, Qld; Natalie Levy, NSW; Neil Higgins, WA; Reem El Daouk, Vic; and Sandra Walter, Qld.

Beer was full of praise for the 12.

“As ever it’s the bakers who make the show and Rachel and Darren filled me in before heading on to set,” she says. “It was wonderful to see what the bakers were made of, and yet again this season’s contestants are truly talented.

“And their enthusiasm – it’s a really lovely thing to come across and see just how creative they are.”

Maggie Beer has been spending most of her time working with her foundation. Picture: Foxtel

As a huge fan of Bake Off, Purchese, who originally hails from England and has made sweet treats at The Logies, Melbourne Cup and Australia Formula 1 Grand Prix, said he was still pinching himself that he gets to be part of it.

“Rachel and I are so impressed with the inventiveness, enthusiasm and talent of the bakers. Being my first time in the shed, I knew the bakers were going to be good, but I didn’t realise just how good,” he said.

“As a fan of the show for such a long time, to be a judge on Bake Off is a dream come true and the icing on the cake is that we spent time with Maggie in the shed and have her blessing which was very special.”

Twelve new contestents are getting ready to show off their skills. Picture: Foxtel

The line-up might have changed, but the original recipe hasn’t for the Australian version of the global juggernaut. Over 10 weeks, the bakers will work their way through the trio of weekly tasks – signature challenge, technical bake and the all-important showstopper. At the end of each week, one will be crowned Star Baker, and one will leave the shed.

The last baker standing after all 30 challenges will be crowned Australia’s Best Amateur Baker.

Great Australian Bake Off will air on Foxtel on June 13.

Originally published as Maggie Beer will return to Great Australian Bake Off for a special guest appearance