Midwife Illiyin Morrison is among the aspiring bakers in the new series of The Great British Bake Off. The midwife and author, 31, will compete against 11 other home bakers in a bid to impress judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood to be crowned the winner.
‘What a weird weird week. I couldn’t have ever done it without [my family and friends]. It really is exactly how you see it, it would be impossible to fake,’ she said on Instagram.
Here’s what we know about Illiyin…
How old is Bake Off’s Illiyin?
Illiyin is 31 years old.
What does Bake Off’s Illiyin do?
Illiyin describes herself as a ‘perinatal trauma specialist midwife, debrief facilitator, mother, author, podcast host and avid cook’. She qualified in 2017 and worked in a south London hospital, but left after having her first daughter and became a perinatal trauma support midwife.
‘Over time I developed my own structure for supporting women and families to unpack their perinatal experiences,’ she said. With four years of experience under her belt, Illiyin speaks out on birth trauma, advocacy and racism and bias in healthcare. ‘To say that this is my life’s work would be an understatement,’ she assured.
Where is Illiyin from?
Illiyin was born in London as one of eight siblings, but grew up in Norfolk, where she continues to live today. She lives with her sister and nieces, as well as her Spanish husband and their two young children – a daughter, five, and a son, two.
When did Illiyin learn to bake?
Illiyin learnt to cook and bake from her mother. She soon became the go-to family member for birthday cakes. Living in a community of myriad cultures and nationalities, she is inspired by the ingredients and flavours of many different cuisines. She loves using Middle Eastern ingredients such as dried fruits, nuts, honey, rose and mint in her cakes while her savoury bakes are typically inspired by the flavours of the Caribbean.
Has Illiyin published a book?
An expert on birth trauma, Illiyin’s book The Birth Debrief: Reflecting on Pregnancy, Reframing Birth, Redefining Post-Partum was published in March 2023. Describing it as her ‘hardest and some of my most important work to date’, she said, ‘This book is quite frankly one of my proudest achievements. I’ve told myself for years that I can’t write and then I held it in my hands. My words, my knowledge and my expertise in the beautifully packaged bunch of pages.’
Is Illiyin on Instagram?
You can find Illiyin on Instagram under the handle @mixing.up.motherhood with more than 55k followers. She also has a website for her professional work, mixingupmotherhood.com