In these fraught and uncertain times, Rahul Mandal has been a slice of uncomplicated loveliness on The Great British Bake Off every Tuesday evening.

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For the past ten weeks, the Rotherham-based research scientist has melted viewers’ hearts with his masterful creations, self-deprecation and preoccupation with roaming pheasants.

He apologised his way to the final, and – following an incredible comeback in the last ever showstopper challenge in which his work table was covered in smashed glass – Rahul was eventually crowned the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2018.

https://twitter.com/Channel4/status/1057372462831296512

We’re going to miss him and his idiosyncrasies very dearly, so we’ve compiled a list of Rahul’s greatest moments on the show, below.

You're welcome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBCRo9SNY00


Rahul's best moments

Rahul received the highest honour in Cake Week when he claimed what Paul Hollywood called the first EVER showstopper Hollywood Handshake – and he took the Star Baker title, too.

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1037068595090661376

Let’s just take a moment to appreciate the look of pure bliss on Rahul’s face. He was beyond ecstatic. He later described the handshake as “very surreal”.

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1037069674549325824

Rahul was then crowned Star Baker for the second time in a row during Bread Week but, more importantly, was very occupied with a couple of pheasants in the Bake Off grounds…

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1039598406128283648

That same week, we also discovered that Rahul bakes to make friends, and what an unforgettable moment it was as he walked into Rotherham Leisure Centre to deliver a cake to the staff/his newest friends.

https://twitter.com/scottygb/status/1039611852014202880

In Dessert Week, we learned the secret ingredient to Rahul’s gloriousness: milk.

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1042126627411505152

Milk made a comeback in the final, of course it did. Turns out we should all give it a go?

https://twitter.com/veritystevie/status/1057370316803051521?s=12

Rahul "Little Genius" Mandal was on such a high in Spice Week that his baking talents actually began to irritate Paul Hollywood, so he apologised for being too good. Classic.

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1044668064552415233

And we thoroughly enjoyed his numerous existential crises throughout the competition…

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1047205945116381185

Rahul's constant state of confusion whenever conversing with Noel Fielding has been entertaining, too...

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1052283775219064833

https://twitter.com/scott_w88/status/1052284132678459392

But Rahul reached peak Rahul in the final, when we were shown a photograph of him aged nine standing outside the Taj Mahal dressed in the killer combo of high-waisted brown cords and and socks and sandals.

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1057363730378428416

And his relationship with his best pals David and Liz was just too much to handle.

https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1057363635419394054

Congratulations, Rahul. Never change.

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https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1057380054399881218

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