Bake Off winner Candice Brown on being trolled online, a whirlwind life after the competition and her love of Scotland

GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF winner Candice Brown has revealed how vicious trolls said they wanted her to die.

But the bubbly baking champ says the backing of family and her Scots boyfriend helped pull her through.

And now the support of fans has inspired her to put the horrific backlash behind her.

“I got trolled so hard,” former PE teacher Candice, 32, told iN10.

“I had worked on social media stuff with the kids at school and suddenly I was able to use myself as an example.

“Some of the things I got were unbelievable. They didn’t like my face, my lips, my teeth, what I wore, what I said, how I sounded.

“Then there were people wishing I would be murdered.

“It’s not something you can prepare for. Luckily I’m pretty thick-skinned – I was brought up in a pub so I always reckon it’d be nothing I haven’t heard before.

“It was a minority, but it was so hurtful. I’d win Star Baker and still get it. I just thought, ‘I’m on a baking show and I’ve done well and still you’re trying to take that from me’.

“But the positivity and support has been incredible. I meet people of all ages at food festivals now and they say they love watching me or I’ve inspired them to bake.

“That means more to me than anything. If I can do something that helps a couple of people it makes all the other stuff worthwhile.”

While admitting there were tearful wobbles since her triumph last year – she saw off stiff competition from Jane Beedle and Andrew Smyth in 2016’s final, watched by a record 15 million people – family and friends helped her come through it.

She smiles as she recalls how her dad would joke, ‘Don’t worry, winkle, it’s just your face’ as the barbs flew in.

And Scots boyfriend Liam Macaulay has been her rock through the whole thing.

“He’s my everything,” says Candice simply.

“Only friends and family realise how amazing he’s been from the very beginning.

“He remembers me sitting on the bed replying to the application questions, asking if it sounded alright.

“He told me I’d get on and he was the one I’d ring first when I got through.

“And when I messed up he’d tell me to get rid of my tears and dust myself down.

“When it was Tudor Week he’d make peacock noises down the phone. Or in the morning we’d put Tina Turner on and have a good old dance to get me ready for the tent.

“He’s still my biggest cheerleader and he tells me he’s proud of me every day.

“Just thinking of that makes me all emotional.”

Candice met Liam at the London pub and both he and his family now live in the capital. But she says Scotland has an ever-stronger place in her heart.

Her mum and dad took her to a cottage in Tomintoul on holiday every year and with one of Liam’s sisters in Newcastle and the other in Aberdeen, trips north are still a regular occurrence.

She’s looking forward to the Taste Angus event at Glamis Castle in August.

“On Bake Off I had some nods to Scotland with macaroni pies – which are in my book – and tattie scones.

“And I use Stornoway black pudding, the best in the world.

“My heritage is London and pie and mash, but I’ve now got this other side in Scotland which I love.”

The book Candice refers to is Comfort which is full of the comfort foods and baking she grew up with and learned to cherish from her mum and her beloved nan, Margaret.

“I spent a lot of time with my nan, she was the apple of my eye.

“Wherever she went, I’d be glued to her hip. She was an incredible cook and baker and I’d stand watching what she’d do.

“She’d give me the leftover bits of pastry to make jam tarts or butterfly cakes.

“I’d help her make crumble and we’d laugh when she’d put one clove in a strudel and tell dad there was no clove in it, knowing he was guaranteed to bite it.

“Every memory I have of her and my granddad is a happy one. There are some of her recipes in the book.

“I haven’t changed them because they’re perfect.”

Holding her own cookbook in her hand for the first time – having written it all and tested every recipe endlessly – is just one of the thrills of the busiest, craziest year of her life.

She has found herself at star-studded bashes, rubbing shoulders with culinary heroes and big names she never imagined she’d meet.

“It has been a complete and utter whirlwind,” admits Candice.

“I’ve gone from entering a baking show I adored, and still do, to so many people knowing my name.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. I don’t take any day for granted and consider myself so lucky.

“I’ve found myself standing on stage at food festivals with the likes of Tom Kerridge, who’s one of my culinary heroes, and meeting Tom Kitchin, Monica Galetti and Atul Kochhar.

“When I was growing up I was a huge Spice Girls fan and now I’ve met three of them, Geri and Emma at the Pride Of Britain Awards and Mel C. on This Morning.

“When I met Mel I turned into a blubbering wreck, telling her how much I loved her.

“And I’m very sporty so meeting Sir Chris Hoy, someone I’ve been in awe of, at the BBC Sports Personality ceremony was incredible.”

Candice decided to step away from her teaching job last year to concentrate on the opportunities being the winner of TV’s biggest show can bring.

But when she was in the GBBO tent she was still in school full-time, cramming in baking practices and filming around her class timetable.

“People who know me were amazed I’d applied because I’m often not the most confident person,” she confides.

“I get confidence when I’m baking but when I applied I didn’t think I’d get on, never mind win it.

“I’m not naturally clever. I had to work really hard at school and university and I worked so hard at my job.

“Some people find things come easily but that’s not me.

“I feel my nan gave me a gift that meant baking is more natural but I was still practicing until the early hours every day I was on Bake Off.

“I don’t think I was the best baker but I put everything, money, time and energy into it.

“I was able to tell the kids at school that hard work can pay off.”

Despite the controversy over GBBO’s move to Channel 4, Candice says she’s as keen as ever to watch it and is excited to see Prue Leith, Sandy Toksvig and Noel Fielding join Paul Hollywood for the new series.

And she still catches up with Paul and Mary Berry, who decided not to channel hop with the show.

“Paul is such a dude, he’s so clever,” she adds. “I’ve seen Mary a few times. She’s an absolute machine. There’s no stopping that lady, she’s a diamond.”

Comfort by Candice Brown is out this week, price £20. Candice will be signing copies of her book at WHSmith Edinburgh on Monday.