GBBO winner John Whaite announces ‘painful decision’ to close his bakery due to a ‘relentless workload’ – and says being run over in a near-fatal car accident was a ‘frightening physical jolt’ that forced him to stop

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I was so sad to hear that John Whaite is closing his bakery. He’s been dealing with so much – a really tough workload, and he was in a terrible car accident not long ago. It’s completely understandable that he needs to prioritize his well-being right now, but it’s still a huge loss for all of us who loved his baking.

Last year, baker Whait and his partner Paul Atkins launched the Ruff Puff Bakehouse at Cedar Farm near Ormskirk. Now, they’re focusing their efforts on growing their existing online business, Ruff Puff Brownies.

The 36-year-old baker announced on Instagram Monday that he’s closing the Bakehouse. He described the decision as difficult, explaining that he and his business partner, Atkins, realized they hadn’t anticipated the amount of work needed to manage a shop open to the public.

It was a difficult choice, but after careful consideration, we’ve decided to close the Bakehouse and concentrate on making Ruff Puff brownies instead.

Running the bakery has become increasingly stressful over the last six months.

We were constantly swamped with work, profits were slim, and it was much more emotionally draining than we expected.

Whaite revealed that being hospitalized after a car accident caused him to think about his own death and realize he needed help dealing with his emotions.

He added: ‘More recently being knocked over by a car brought everything into sharp focus.

I suddenly felt a strong, physical shock that made me stop and realize I was completely exhausted, overworking myself, and trying to manage too much at once.

After the incident, Whaite was taken to the hospital, where doctors explained that his weight and muscular build—at 16 stone—likely saved his life.

The former Great British Bake Off contestant is going back to running his online brownie business. He briefly closed the website to focus on opening a bakery called Cedar Farm Bakehouse.

Ruff Puff Brownies isn’t currently being updated. Their website says they’re ‘taking a little break’ and will return in 2026.

I’m going to be taking a real break over the next few months to rest and get better. I need this time to recharge, focus on my health, and plan for the future at a comfortable pace, rather than rushing things.

I’m so excited to share that Ruff Puff Brownies are coming back this autumn! They’ve been totally revamped and improved, and the team is really focusing on what they do best – crafting those incredible brownies and getting them delivered all over the UK. It’s a smarter approach that I think will make everything even better.

Ben Haenow confirmed he was hit by a car in January, sharing on Instagram: ‘I was seriously hit by a car last night.’

I crashed, damaging the car’s hood and windshield. I ended up on the road, and managed to crawl to the sidewalk. Luckily, a kind person covered me with their coat and stayed with me until the ambulance arrived.

‘The doctors said “thank god you’re 16 stone of muscle because it could have been fatal”. 

The takeaway here is simple: get strong, especially your core, and avoid wearing dark clothes when crossing the street at night – you want to be visible to drivers who might not be paying attention.

‘I’ve been scanned and poked and prodded and I’m ok. Still gay though.’

Just to be clear, when I mentioned “speeding” in my previous post, I didn’t mean it literally – I was using the term to represent moving quickly with a task or project.

It happened so quickly and was completely unexpected. I have no idea how fast the driver was going, but it was enough force to send me flying onto the windshield and then to the floor.

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2026-01-13 13:04