Bake Off: The Professionals

Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles welcome a fresh batch of professional pastry chefs to compete for the title. Judges Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin set the tasks, beginning with the secret challenge, which sees the teams working without a recipe to create French classic choux pastry ring the Paris-Brest - but with a twist. Then they serve up showpieces inspired by childhood toys, each concealing crumble and custard-themed desserts elevated to new heights.

The teams channel all their patisserie experience into creating 24 identical battenberg cakes and 24 reinvented versions of the colourful classic. They then have five and a half hours to create a dramatic Shakespeare-inspired theatrical scene, complete with puddings based on the 16th-century dessert fruit fool. Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles follow their progress, while Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden taste their efforts.

The remaining teams take on the tantalising feast that is pastry. In their first challenge, the teams create 24 savoury laminated tarts and get creative with 24 cream buns. Their showpiece challenge demands precision and flair as they build modern landmarks solely out of biscuit, accompanied by impeccably shaped petit gâteaux, in a towering test of skill, structure and nerve.

Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles present as the teams make 24 identical tarte aux agrumes meringuée - or in simple terms, citrus tarts. But with no recipe to rely at their disposal, they must rely on pure skill, instinct and experience to achieve perfection. The second challenge sees them creating edible showpieces based on their childhood hobbies, hiding a classic within a chocolate fudge cake-inspired dessert that must serve 24 people.

Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles present as the teams make 24 classic Bakewell slices and 24 re-imagined versions. For their second challenge, the chefs step back in time with an opulent Victorian Britain-inspired showpiece, complete with a jam-roly-poly-inspired dessert to serve 24. Pâtisserie experts Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden taste their efforts.

Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles present as the remaining teams make 24 savoury mille-feuille - more commonly known as a vanilla slice - and 24 babka buns - a rich twisted pastry with a sweet filling. For their second challenge, they craft showpieces inspired by Ancient Wonders out of biscuit, accompanied by petit gâteaux. Pâtisserie experts Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden taste their efforts - and decide who will be leaving the contest.

Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles introduce guest judge Will Torrent, the senior development chef at Waitrose, who sets the six remaining pairs a retail product challenge in which they must bring the humble apple to the fore, celebrate autumn and spotlights trending ingredients. For their second challenge, they build a 'World of Candy' complete with a pâtisserie pick 'n' mix. Then all that remains is for Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden to decide who has hit the sweet spot and who will be left with the sour taste of failure.

Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles present the quarter-final in which the teams create two batches of 24 afternoon tea desserts, inspired both in look and flavour by their favourite teatime treats. Things then take a darker turn as they make creepy, gravity-defying piñatas for a Circus of Horrors-themed spectacular, filled with edible delights that fall to the table when smashed open by Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin.

Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles present as the four remaining pairs take on the longest semi-final challenge in the show's history - seven gruelling hours to create edible floating showpieces celebrating summer holiday vibes, complete with perfectly matched choux buns. But before that, one chef from each team takes on an individual test to serve up the classic meringue dessert île flottante (floating island) with no recipe to help them. After all their efforts, Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin decide who is worthy of a place in the final.

In one last epic task, the finalists take on a monumental 12-hour Masquerade Ball Banquet challenge with a brutal twist halfway through! Who'll be feasting on glory?