Comedian Tom Allen, 39, grew up in Bromley and trained with the National Youth theatre. He started standup aged 22, winning So You Think You’re Funny and the BBC New Comedy award in the same year. He regularly appears on TV series including The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, and as a host on The Apprentice: You’re Fired and Cooking With the Stars. He’s currently performing warm-up gigs before going on the road in February with a new standup tour, Completely. His second memoir, Too Much, is published this week.
Bake Off is nearing the end of its 13th series. What’s its enduring appeal?
Solace, I think. The tent is a world where people of all backgrounds and identities come together, get along and concentrate on making something lovely. I think that’s very welcome in an age that feels so overwhelming and beyond our control. Cakes tend to be something you don’t just make for yourself; you cut them into slices and share. Inherently, that’s a kind, altruistic act. And then to stop it getting too saccharine, we can have a bit of fun on Extra Slice.
