Gabe Capes Bake Off 2026: Age, Bio & Drag King

Gabe Capes is 32 years old. The West Midlands artist and drag king, who performs as Blü Romantic, is one of the twelve contestants on The Great British Bake Off 2026, which began on Channel 4 on 22 September. Beyond baking, Gabe works as a costume designer and theatre producer, with costume work that has appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. This profile covers their age, career, biography and time in the tent so far.

Gabe is the most distinctive baker of series 17: a drag king, costume designer and theatre producer who willed their way into the tent through sheer belief. Here is everything we know about them.

Who Is Gabe Capes?

Gabe Capes is a 32-year-old artist, drag king and costume designer from the West Midlands. They perform as the drag king Blü Romantic, produce theatre shows and design costumes, with their work appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Raised in Grimsby, which they describe as “the home of fish and chips and zero gay bars”, they now live in Birmingham with their partners Ellis and Tyler and their two sausage dogs, Dill and Sage.

Gabe uses they/them pronouns. They have been baking since the age of 13, when they watched the very first series of Bake Off and decided they would one day be in the tent.

Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Name	Gabe Capes
Age	32
Pronouns	They/them
From	West Midlands (raised in Grimsby)
Occupation	Artist, drag king, costume designer, theatre producer
Drag persona	Blü Romantic

Gabe Capes Age and Background

Gabe is 32. They studied Applied Performance at the Birmingham Royal Conservatoire drama school, where they headed the Contemporary Dance and Jazz Society. Their training in performance, costume and theatre production feeds directly into their baking, which they approach with a showman’s flair.

The Drag King Behind the Baker

As Blü Romantic, Gabe is part of the UK drag king scene, which has grown rapidly in visibility in recent years. Their costume design work for RuPaul’s Drag Race UK connects them to mainstream television fashion, and their theatre productions have made them a known figure in Birmingham’s performance community. For a fashion audience, Gabe is the rare Bake Off contestant whose day job is literally about how things look.

Their reveal of their Bake Off casting was characteristically theatrical: they hid an acrostic message across their X posts spelling out “I am on The Great British Bake Off”, inspired by Kate Butch.

Gabe Capes on Bake Off 2026

Gabe entered the tent for series 17 alongside judges Paul Hollywood and new judge Nigella Lawson, with Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding hosting. Bookmakers’ theoretical odds placed them among the early frontrunners. As the series airs on Tuesday nights, their progress is ongoing, and this profile covers them as a contestant rather than predicting a winner.

Drag Kings in the UK: The Scene Gabe Comes From

Drag kings have historically received less mainstream attention than drag queens, but the UK scene has grown rapidly in recent years, with dedicated nights, competitions and a growing television presence. As Blü Romantic, Gabe is part of a movement redefining what drag performance looks like, blending masculine presentation with theatrical spectacle.

Their costume design work for RuPaul’s Drag Race UK connects them directly to the mainstream drag industry, while their theatre productions have built a loyal Birmingham following. Bake Off is the first time this world has been showcased to a mass family audience through one of its own.

Gabe’s Baking Style

Gabe approaches baking the way they approach performance: with drama, colour and confidence. Having watched the first series at 13 and believed ever since that they would reach the tent, they bring a manifesting energy that viewers have found infectious. Their bakes tend toward the theatrical, and their presentation skills, honed through costume design, give them an edge in showstoppers.

Bookmakers’ theoretical odds placed them among the early frontrunners, and their fanbase extends well beyond the usual Bake Off demographic into drag and theatre communities.

Why Gabe Matters for the Show

Every Bake Off series needs a contestant who expands what the show can be. Gabe does that twice over: as a drag king in a traditionally cosy format, and as a working creative whose day job is literally about visual spectacle. Their casting is a quiet milestone for LGBTQ+ representation on one of Britain’s most-watched programmes.

Bake Off 2026: Gabe’s Journey So Far

Gabe entered the tent for series 17 alongside eleven other bakers, facing judges Paul Hollywood and new judge Nigella Lawson. Bookmakers’ theoretical odds placed them among the early frontrunners at 7/4, reflecting both their evident confidence and the goodwill of their fanbase.

As the series airs on Tuesday nights toward the 24 November final, their progress is being watched by two audiences: Bake Off loyalists and the drag and theatre communities who have followed Blü Romantic for years. That dual fanbase gives them one of the most distinctive support bases in the competition.

The Costume Designer Behind the Drag King

Gabe’s costume design work, including credits on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, deserves emphasis. Designing for television drag means creating garments that read on camera, move under stage lights and survive quick changes. Those skills translate directly to showstopper presentation, where visual impact counts alongside flavour.

Their theatre productions in Birmingham have built a reputation for spectacle on independent budgets, exactly the resourcefulness Bake Off rewards.

Home Life: Partners, Dogs and Birmingham

Away from the stage and the tent, Gabe lives in Birmingham with partners Ellis and Tyler and two dogs, Dill and Sage. The household reflects the same joyful nonconformity as their drag persona: chosen family, creative work and a life built on their own terms.

Raised in Grimsby before making Birmingham home, Gabe’s story is also a regional one. The Midlands has a thriving drag and theatre scene that rarely gets national attention, and their Bake Off casting shines a welcome light on it.

The Manifesting Story

Gabe has said they watched the first series of Bake Off at 13 and believed ever since that they would reach the tent. Whether described as manifesting or simply determination, the story resonates because it came true. Twelve years of watching became a place in the tent, and their journey is a reminder that the show’s audience and its contestants are often the same people, separated only by time.