A Bake Off contestant from West Yorkshire was left in tears after a "humiliating" showstopper challenge during biscuit week.
Tom, who impressed judges with his bakes throughout the episode, ultimately won Star Baker despite an emotional finish that left him doubting his chances.
After the finals showstopper challenge he said: "I have no idea what they’re going to say, it looks rubbish.
"It just feels so humiliating that I couldn’t do it."
'Best start to biscuit week I could have asked for'
The episode began on a high note for Tom, who said he was "dead excited for week two" and ready to get stuck in.
For the signature challenge, contestants were asked to make thirty American-style cookies.
Tom created 'Nordic crunch' cookies with almond praline, milk chocolate chunks, and peanuts.
He said: "There’s gonna be five hundred grams of chocolate in the cookies, I’m not messing about."
Nigella and Paul (Image: Newsquest)
Judges Nigella Lawson and Paul Hollywood were impressed.
Nigella said: "they look lovely. The salt and sugar perfectly are pitched together."
Paul added: "flavour wise and texture wise its great."
Tom said the feedback was "the best start to biscuit week I could have asked for."
In the technical challenge, bakers were tasked with making 24 uniform iced gems using orange shortbread and pastel icing.
He finished third in the challenge, with Paul saying, "Pipework is good but they’re a little bit bright" and Nigella noting, "It’s both crisp and melty."
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Heading into the showstopper, Tom was a frontrunner for Star Baker.
Paul said: "Tom has been the most consistent," while Nigella praised his Nordic crunch biscuit.
Emotional showstopper ends with surprise Star Baker win
The showstopper challenge required contestants to create a biscuit mosaic.
Tom’s design was inspired by the burn book from the 2004 film Mean Girls.
His mosaic featured lemon shortbread, raspberry jam, and a raspberry biscuit topping.
Paul approved of his baking method, saying: "That’s exactly how I would do it."
New judge Nigella (Image: Newsquest)
However, Tom ran out of time.
He said: "I’m gonna try my best but I don’t feel I’ll have time to get it all done."
Visibly upset at the end of the challenge, Tom said, "obviously it was not finished, I was emotional about the fact it was not finished."
Paul asked if he had dropped the bake, noting "Did you drop it? It looks unfinished."
Despite the appearance, the judges praised the flavour.
Nigella said: "as a flavour I adore this."
Paul agreed: "I think the flavour on the base and the top and the texture and the bake, big ticks all the way down, but it looks a mess."
Despite the setback, Tom was named Star Baker.
After the win he called his family and said: "I’ve had a very hard day today, it’s been awful, but I won star baker."