The first episode of the new season of Bake Off: The Professionals aired on Tuesday, with a Swindon couple in the running to be crowned the best this year.

Boglárka Kovács and her partner Krisztián Tárkányi are one of the 12 teams in the newest season of the popular show.

Viewers got their first surprise right from the start as presenter Tom Allen had been replaced by Stacey Solomon.

To kick things off, the judges had a surprise up their sleeves for the teams with a secret challenge.

Without any recipes to hand, they had to rely on their patisserie instincts, innate knowledge, and above all their teamwork to create 36 individual strawberry fraisiers and a chocolate amenity in just three hours.

Even though this new season lacked the cuddly and comforting atmosphere usually associated with the show, it made for entertaining viewing with judges Blin and Finden not holding back in their adjudications.

Boglárka's previous competition experience with pastry baking came in handy.

Later during the showpiece section of the episode, the season had its first two disasters as showstoppers by David and Cydrick's and Emanuele and Mariola's fell to the ground.

 

The challenge was to remake a new version of the classic treacle tart.

 

Emanuele and Mariola were the first team to be sent home from the competition.

The Swindon couple looked relieved as they passed through to the next episode.

Twitter users express their views on the contestants and Stacey as the new presenter.

User Turn The Box On said: "Please can Stacey Solomon replace Matt Lucas on the main show?"

Shane R @ShaneRooD15 also said: "#StaceySolomon is a great addition to #BakeOffTheProfessionals she has the right amount of humour and empathy. #GBBO"

User mark rooke @Rookerunner was, like most viewers, overall happy with the happy with the episode, and said: "#GBBO professionals gripping entertainment. Love it."

Bake Off: The Professionals airs on Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4.