The Great British Bake Off is beginning to pick up pace as 4.5 million viewers tuned in to watch this week’s episode.

The baking competition, which started back in 2010, is now in its third series and was the most viewed programme on BBC Two on Tuesday night (28 August).

The 10 contestants on the show were tasked to make a series of tarts, including judge Mary Berry’s recipe for a lattice-topped treacle tart.

More than 4.2 million viewers watched the second programme of series three on 21 August, with an extra 700,000 people glued to their TV sets on that night compared to the first episode. It featured a series of bread making tasks, including an eight-stranded plaited loaf, a series of flatbreads and sweet and savoury bagels.

The first show of the third series, which aired on 14 August, managed to secure 3.84 million viewers and featured The Worshipful Company of Bakers, as well as series of cake creating challenges, including an upside-down cake along with a cake with a hidden design, and judge Paul Hollywood’s rum babas. 

The final episode of series two last October brought in five million viewers, taking 20% of the overall audience share.

Rumours have emerged this week regarding Paul Hollywood potentially appearing as a contestant on the next series of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, as reported by The Sun newspaper.