The nation’s favourite baking competition returned to our screens in September 2025.
As you enjoy the return of collapsing showstoppers, “Hollywood handshakes”, and baffling technical challenges, you probably haven’t considered what lessons you can learn about investing from The Great British Bake Off (GBBO).
Whether you’re new to the stock market or a seasoned investor, you might be looking for valuable tips to help you grow your wealth.
From Baked Alaska disasters to underdog victories, read on to discover four lessons Bake Off can teach you about investing.
1. You can’t control the conditions, but you can control your reactions
Whether it’s a heatwave during chocolate week or rain during a meringue challenge, unexpected conditions affect contestants’ bakes each year.
Notoriously, in ‘Series 5’, Iain Watters’ Baked Alaska was ruined when his ice cream was left out in the sweltering heat. Throwing the dessert in the bin in frustration, the contestant presented nothing to the judges and was eliminated that week.
Similarly, investors are often subject to market fluctuations outside of their control. At times, share values may plummet unexpectedly or take a more gradual downturn. But while you can’t control the market, you can control how you react.
If you give in to panic and rush to sell your shares when values are down, you will likely lock in a loss – as Iain did with his Baked Alaska. However, by remaining calm, staying the course, and investing for the long term, historical market trends suggest you’re likely to see the value of your shares grow over time despite downswings.
2. Diversification can improve your chances of positive results
Generally, the winner of GBBO performs well across various challenges – from home-made Jammy Dodgers to spectacular patisserie sculptures.
In ‘Series 10’, David Atherton made Bake Off history as the first winner to have never been awarded Star Baker. While he was consistently strong across all categories and was ultimately crowned the winner, he wasn’t deemed the strongest contestant in any single week.
A strong investment portfolio might follow a similar pattern. By having a variety of investments spread across a range of asset classes, geographical locations, and risk profiles, rather than relying on a small number of concentrated investments, your portfolio could see steady long-term growth.
Just as David had his share of disappointing bakes, your investments are likely to see an occasional downturn in value. But by diversifying your portfolio, you could mitigate the risk of downturns and build resilience for positive returns.
3. Personalise your portfolio for your perfect showstopper
Often, the best showstoppers are personal to the baker, reflecting their personality, loved ones, or fond memories.
In this year’s series, the contestants were asked to present a time capsule for the ‘Biscuit Week’ showstopper. Choosing to make his grandma’s cottage out of gingerbread, Tom earned himself both a “Hollywood handshake” and the title of Star Baker for his deeply personal showstopper.
Likewise, personalising your investment portfolio could help achieve greater results. There are multiple factors to consider when selecting your investments, such as:
- Your risk appetite
- Your intended time frame for liquidating the portfolio
- Any ESG preferences or desire to invest in particular areas
- Whether you’d like to be actively involved, a passive investor, or use a financial adviser to manage your portfolio
By curating a portfolio tailored to your investment goals and personal preferences, you may improve your long-term returns, while gaining confidence that your portfolio is suitable for your needs.
4. Know when to take advice
Judges regularly offer contestants advice to help them improve. However, the advice isn’t always heeded, with some contestants insisting on sticking to their recipe and consequently receiving negative feedback.
Bakers who are willing to take advice generally fare better. For example, despite not starting out as the strongest baker, Matty continuously took advice on board throughout the contest and went on to be crowned the winner of ‘Series 14’.
In some ways, investing is no different. Even experienced investors can often benefit from guidance from a qualified adviser. However, it’s important to ensure it comes from a reputable source to avoid falling foul of any scams or unregulated advice.
When seeking investment support, it can be worth speaking with an independent adviser who can recommend investments across the whole of the market. Generally, you should choose an adviser you can trust, who listens to both your goals and your concerns, and makes you feel comfortable rather than pressured.
Get in touch
If you’re looking for independent financial advice to help you optimise and manage your investment portfolio to make it a “showstopper”, email info@doddwealthcare.co.uk or call 01228 530913 / 01768 864466 to learn more about how we can help.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.
The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.
