A pastor, PE teacher and an aerospace engineer are among those bidding to win this year's Great British Bake Off.

Ahead of the show's return on August 24, we take a look at the 12 amateur bakers hoping to succeed Nadiya Hussain as champion.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Andrew lives with friends in Derby and works as an aerospace engineer for Rolls-Royce, designing jet engines.

His background could lead to some very precise and beautiful bakes, with creations including a baguette Concorde.

The 25-year-old is also likely to make use of the secret recipes passed down by his mother and grandmother.

Candice, 31, was inspired to bake by her grandmother and hopes to follow in her footsteps - aiming to be "even half the lady she was".

She grew up in the pubs her parents ran and now lives in Bedfordshire.

She currently works in pastoral care and PE teaching at a secondary school.

Originally from Merthyr Tydfil, Louise now works as a hairdresser in Cardiff and has developed her love of baking over the last 10 years.

She is sure to have the stamina for long days in the tent as she loves mountain walks and has completed a four-day trek in the Andes.

The 46-year-old loves to decorate her cakes with elaborate designs.

Jane, 61, will be hoping to use her long family history of making breads and cakes (her grandfather owned a bakery) as she bids to become champion.

The garden designer, from Beckenham, south-east London, likes to start early, getting her bread in the oven at 5am most mornings.

Viewers can expect Jane to perform strongly in the technical challenges as she knows her classic cakes, biscuits and pastries.

The 23-year-old teaching assistant, who lives in south London, recently gained a first in economics and is known as a straight-A student.

She could be her own strongest critic as she is not happy when things do not turn out right.

She lives at home with her brother and twin sister, who is her other big critic and regularly gives her feedback on her creations.

Michael's Cypriot heritage is evident in his baking, as he loves to make Greek pastries with his grandmother.

The 20-year-old, from London, is currently studying politics and economics in Durham.

He may shine in the Showstopper round as he enjoys making "big grand cakes" and combining unusual flavours.

Rav, from Erith in Kent, has a job supporting students at City University London and volunteers for charities such as Victim Support.

He lives with his parents and enjoys using unusual ingredients, taking inspiration from far eastern cuisine and vegan baking.

The 28-year-old thinks he has a good sense of flavour combinations, "even if they might seem strange to others".

Lee is the oldest contestant in this year's competition.

The 67-year-old started his career as a builder before becoming a pastor in the 1980s.

The Bolton resident enjoys traditional flavours such as hazelnut, vanilla and chocolate.

Originally from Ghana, Selasi moved to the UK with his family 15 years ago.

He works long hours as a client service associate in the finance industry but still finds time to bake and regularly impresses colleagues with his cupcakes.

The 30-year-old is also a basketball and motorbike enthusiast.

Former primary school head teacher Val can apparently make classics with her eyes closed.

The 66-year-old works two days a week and enjoys the rest of the time baking at her home in Yeovil, Somerset.

She could bring a more unusual touch to the tent as she likes to do aerobics in her kitchen while waiting for her jams to boil.

The farmer's daughter has had a passion for baking since she was a child and loves using seasonal fruits which she gathers from her parents' garden.

The 37-year-old nurse says she thrives on nurturing others so she could be a comforting figure in the tent.

Sugar craft is her particular strength.

Tom grew up in Rochdale but now lives in east London with his wife Kate.

Having lost 30kg, he enjoys his bakes but believes in eating them in moderation.

The 26-year-old also impressively makes his own cheese and salami from scratch.