A GREAT British Bake Off favourite has written an emotional letter to fans after his shock exit last night.

Jurgen Krauss from Brighton left the tent after being tasked with making layered slices, a sablé breton tart and a showstopping entremet display as part of Pâtisserie Week.

The German-born IT technician was the only contestant to not receive a converted handshake from judge Paul Hollywood, and despite winning the technical challenge, he missed out on a place in the show’s final.

The 56-year-old’s exit shocked viewers and even his semi-finalists Crystelle, Chigs and Giuseppe, could not hide their surprise.

Speaking after his exit, Jurgen said: “I feel kind of okay. I kind of saw it coming. I think the other are more shocked than I am.

“I really enjoyed being here. I made friends for life, and I will be with them in spirit.”

The Great British Twitter Bake Off Twitter account shared a handwritten letter written by Jurgen, thanking fans for their support during his time on the Channel 4 show.

He wrote: “Who wants to fly to the moon if you can be on Bake Off? It was such a fantastic ride.

“I have made 11 new friends and met the most amazing crew.

“Preparing all the recipes gave me confidence to experiment with flavours in sweet baking, to an extent I’ve never done before.

“A huge thank you to all of you for all the kind and warmth in your response and support.

“Lots of love, Jurgen.”

Jurgen was crowned star baker in the first episode of the series and went on to impress the judges in caramel week and free-from week, which saw bakers battle it out to make the best dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan bakes.

The final of this series of Great British Bake Off will air on Channel 4 on Tuesday, 23 November at 8pm.

Earlier this week it was announced that the series had extended its licence with Channel 4 and Love Productions for a further three years to 2024.

The popular show has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2017 after it brought over the right from the BBC, who previously aired the show for the first seven series.

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