Bake Off contestant opens up about baby loss

Nelly Ghaffar said it was the first time she had spoken about her loss

A Great British Bake Off contestant has opened up about baby loss following her biscuit tribute to the five children she lost during pregnancy.

Palliative care assistant Nelly Ghaffar, from Dorset, incorporated five stars into her showstopper during biscuit week on the Channel 4 TV series.

She did not plan to reveal their significance but, when the bake did not go to plan, she broke down and told producers about their meaning.

She told BBC Radio Solent it was the first time she had spoken publicly about her miscarriages.

Ms Ghaffar said she broke down when the bake did not go to plan

Speaking on BBC Radio Solent, she said: "I didn't really plan it.

"The five stars - only my husband knew what it was about at that point.

"But I unfortunately messed them up and I was really, really upset about it and the producer asked 'Why are you upset? It's OK.'

"I said, actually, the stars are really important. Then I broke [down] and said it aloud.

"It was the first ever time I had said it aloud.

"Nobody knows what we went through - I went through early loss and late loss and we don't talk about it."

Ms Ghaffar, who has two young boys, said she dedicated the bake to her husband, Farhan, to show him how much she loved and appreciated him.

She said: "Life should be about fun - there is so much drama, so much loss.

"You should have fun and enjoy life because life is short."

Ms Ghaffar is not the only contestant to talk about baby loss on the show.

Fellow baker Georgie Grasso said she was comforted by presenters after a necklace she was wearing to remember her daughter who was stillborn broke during filming.