Meet the Finalists of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee pudding competition

There’s an all female final of amateur bakers for the competition to find The Queen’s Jubilee Pudding to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

Five bakes were selected from over 5,000 entries from across the country in a contest run by Fortnum & Mason and the Big Jubilee Lunch.

Dame Mary Berry and The Duchess of Cornwall will announce the winner during a special BBC One programme, The Queen’s Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years In The Baking, which will be broadcast on May 12 at 8pm.

The finalists announced on May 3 2022, are Shabnam Russo, Susan, Sam, Jemma and Kathryn Maclennan.

Shabnam said “What a privilege to be involved – a dream come true to meet and cook with a tribe of the most amazing women I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and baking with in my dream kitchen at Fortnums. Laughter and Tears and ultimately a tribute to the most inspirational world leader today . To my girls I wish you the very best , if one of us wins all of us win 🥇, we adjust each other’s crowns 👑”

Sam was equally as excited and said “It has been an absolute dream come true to meet and cook with these other amazing women. To meet and prepare our puddings for the judges who we all admire so much was just indescribable.”

Jemma also paid tribute the finalists and judges and said “It was a dream come true to meet and cook with these other amazing women, who are now my friends for life! Plus to meet all of the judges who we all admire so much was an absolute honour. The countdown is on to 12th May!”

Kathryn said: “I still can’t believe that I made the final five (out of 5000 entries) and got the opportunity to bake at Fortnums for Dame Mary Berry, Lucy Young, Monica Galetti, Jane Dunn, Rahul, Matt Adlard, Regula Regula Ysewijn and Roger Pizey.  Big love to the other four amazing women who went on this journey with me!⁠
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It’s been a complete whirlwind and a totally surreal experience – definitely a pinch me moment to be in the same room as so many people that I look up to! Looking forward to the 12th May for people to see what I’ve been up to!”

We wish all five finalists the best of luck and look forward to seeing their bakes.