CHESTER baker Steph Blackwell is now hot favourite to lift the Great British Bake Off crown after making it through to the final next week.

Steph is a 28 year old shop assistant, who got into baking thanks to her granddad, who loves homemade bread.

She is self-taught and considers herself an "intermediate, still-learning" baker and her passion for sports and wellness inspires her creations.

She likes challenging herself by making her bakes healthier, adding vegetables or fruits, lowering the refined sugar content and prioritising more nutritional fats.

In this week's semi-final it was Somerset's Rosie Brandreth-Poynter who was booted off.

Four bakers were in the semi-final and were challenged them to make various patisserie-based treats as it was patisserie week.

But despite Rosie winning the technical challenge, in which bakers are tasked with making a sweet treat from scratch with no practice, the Rosie was kicked off.

Her Gâteau St Honoré was judged to be the best in the tent, but it was in the showstopper round where she struggled to pull off her sugar glass cabinet and cake.

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith voted Alice star baker, which was surprising as she finished last in the technical challenge.

Once again Steph stunned Prue with her flavours as she said her show stopping Opera cake encased in a sugar glass box was beautiful.

You can catch the final showdown next Tuesday from 8pm-9:15pm on Channel 4 where one lucky baker will be crowned champion.