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Tasha Stones (Tash) from Bake Off is the first deaf contestant on the show. She was born in the UK but moved to Australia aged nine, where she developed her love for the outdoors. Now, she’s back in her Bristol roots, with her BSL interpreter Daryl McMullan by her side to guide her.
She is making history as the first-ever deaf Great British Bake Off contestant. Tasha Stones has not revealed whether she was born deaf. However, her cochlear implant does not appear in older pictures.
Shoutout to bake off for making Tasha’s interpreter Daryl feel fully involved it’s amazing to see deaf representation included so easily👏🏻 #GBBO pic.twitter.com/ZwFhHpGacT
— Georgia (@GeorgiaEH17) September 26, 2023Tasha Stones’ deaf story before Bake Off
Born in Bristol, Tasha is the first Bake Off deaf contestant and wears a cochlear implant. She also has an interpreter, Daryl McMullan, by her side to do BSL while she films the Channel 4 show.
She revealed, as per RNID: “When we lined up outside the tent to do our first walk-in show, we were all so nervous. It was a big moment when Noel introduced not only Alison but also Daryl as part of the line-up.”
“Seeing Daryl up at the front and feeling fully part of the show was a really special moment. I couldn’t have done it without him,” Tasha added. She says she’s a “part-time baker who happens to be deaf AF.”
Bake Off star born in the UK
Deaf contestant Tasha Stones on Bake Off was born in the UK and is from Bristol originally. She’s now based across Bristol and London but moved to Australia with her mum and brother at the age of nine.
She enjoyed a multi-chocolate milk drink at the end of a school day and got a taste for the outdoors while living down under. In early pictures with her parents, Tasha doesn’t appear to be wearing an implant.
Talking of her Bake Off success, Tasha, who was crowned star baker on episode 2, said: “When I had the Zoom call to tell me I was one of the 12, I cried. Daryl (Tasha’s interpreter) also cried. We were a mess.”
Fans are asking if Tasha was born deaf as she speaks perfectly. A Reddit user wrote: “I’m a little confused about Tasha’s disability. How come she can be deaf and talk perfectly at the same time?”
Hosts dedicated to learning BSL
To prepare for Tash on Bake Off, Dame Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood, Noel Fielding and his new co-host Alison Hammond have all learned basic sign language.
Dame Prue, 83, revealed she struggled to get to grips with it and admitted, as per RNID: “I’m not very good at sign language, but Paul is.” Channel 4 producers ensured Tasha was not made to feel isolated.
Paul and Prue were seen practicing their sign language with Tasha while discussing her episode 2 challenge. Tasha herself even shared Alison Hammond and Paul’s sign names on-screen.
WATCH THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF ON CHANNEL 4 TUESDAYS AT 8 PM
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