They do it to us every year, but it was a real shocker this week, when Lottie Bedlow left the Great British Bake Off tent, just after becoming star baker - and a firm fan favourite.
Lottie's Bake Off journey came to an end in 80s week, leaving fans - who had become obsessed with her sassy lines and headgirl vibes - absolutely gutted.
Then, a few days later, in an open letter, pantomime producer Lottie, from West Sussex revealed she's currently unemployed.
'I am not sure what is going to happen to pantos this year,' she said. 'I am unemployed at the moment as a producer but my colleague and I are now thinking of something innovative to put on this Christmas, possibly streaming something. We are trying to adapt to the new climate, as the theatre industry is struggling.'
While most of her fans on Wednesday night were calling for Lottie to have her own post-Bake Off show - or a show with BFF Laura Adlington - it's been revealed that (hopefully) in the meantime, she could make money from her Instagram posts.
Work by Pilot Fish Media has found Lottie has increased her Insta following by 16709% since Great British Bake Off started, gaining an extra 131,162 followers. It's the largest out of all of the contestants by far. They estimate she could start to make £636.27 per each Instagram post already, before the show's final has even finished.
Lottie, Bake Off, and her fans...
Great British Bake Off is absolutely LIVING on Twitter this year and it seems the app had definitely found a fave in Lottie Bedlow, the Viking-obsessed pantomime producer.
Even Paul Hollywood was on board - she got the first Hollywood handshake of the series for her signature Florentines.
Despite Lottie being 31, there's a random obsession with what Lottie would've been like at school. Basically it was the head girl type that everyone also loves and fancies and wants to be and wants to be with, but you're not mad at it?
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Hmm... Juno Dawson explains it better...
In general Twitter seems to be getting kinda 'swot' vibes from Lottie Bedlow too, but also, not really minding it. And to be honest it's refreshing to see us all just loving the work of a woman who was nailing it.
Lottie obviously recognises her own inner-head girl, describing herself as a 'perpetually frustrated perfectionist’. She also said one of her strengths is, 'Turns out I’m a fast learner! I taught myself a lot of techniques ahead of the show and really enjoyed the process.'
You go - we're not mad at you Lottie. You're entering a nationally famous baking competition which has built the careers of previous contestants sky high. Effort is fair and encouraged. We're not actually back at school where that's something you have to pretend to be ashamed of.
A friend recentlytold The Sun that getting on the show was a 'dream come true'.
'She’s always been a massive fan of the programme, and of Paul, so she’ll have loved the fact he has already picked her out as a star baker. She has been hoping to catch his eye as she is a huge fan of his — not in a romantic way but she loves his baking and his manner.'
Once people get past the whole school thing, the rest of the tweets are, well, just everyone fancying her. Honestly, go look - everyone fancies Lottie Bedlow.
We have been cooped up a while - it's about time we got a new crush. So, out goes Paul Mescal, in comes Lottie Bedlow. And hey, let's not forget, she comes with CAKE.