Paul Hollywood admits he left new GBBO contestants in tears with tough comments

: "There were times when there was a bit of a disaster on one of the technicals. I walked in and saw it and sort of had a go at them, which caused a little bit of emotion.

"Yes I made them cry. They're more pack animals now. Upset one and they all get upset."

This year's cast is the youngest yet, with contestants of an average age of 31- and Paul explained that some of them lacked listening skills which put them at a disadvantage in the competition.

He continued: "When they're younger, they need to start somewhere and sometimes they don't listen.

"A couple of them didn't listen and I went over and taught the point again and again and again and again, and they still didn't get it.

"The ones that did start to listen, to both Prue [Leith] and I... got better. There's a couple of them that didn't, that just fell away, because you need to listen."

Earlier this week, Channel 4 released the full line up for the 2019 Great British Bake Off.

The channel have lined up a diverse array of competitors for this year’s tent, including Leeds online project manager Helena, 40, who was taught to bake by Mormons.

And Londoner David Atherton, 36, is a health worker who fell in love with making cakes on a life-saving mission to help beleaguered Africans in Malawi.

The Bake Off 2019 contestants also come with emotional backstories.

They include Essex girl Alice Fevronia, 28, who started baking aged 15 as she recovered from an operation to combat scoliosis, a back condition that stopped her playing sport.

And student Henry Bird, 20, who was inspired to start baking when GBBOwas filming close to his home near Valentines Park in Redbridge.

He said: “I used to see Paul Hollywood when I walked past the tent to go to school in the mornings, so I really got into it.

“On the first day of filming, I told Paul that I remembered him filming at Valentine’s for series two and we had a chat about that and shared our memories of that time.