Dancing on Eggshells

English chef Whaite (A Flash in the Pan) is best known to audiences in the United States as the winner of the third season of The Great British Bake Off. In this engaging memoir, he reflects on his childhood, in which he lived in a strict, close-knit family who ran a fish and chips shop. He enjoyed baking from an early age and found it a source of comfort during his parents’ divorce and when he encountered homophobia. While studying for a law degree, he applied for The Great British Bake Off. Readers hoping for many details about the filming of that 2012 season may be disappointed; his chapter about it is brief. More attention is given to Whaite’s 2021 stint on another reality show, Strictly Come Dancing, when he fell in love with his dance partner, Johannes Radebe; he also discusses the effect on his long-term relationship with his husband, Paul Atkins. Much of the book details Whaite’s ongoing battles with depression and bulimia, an addiction to alcohol, and toxic experiences with people on social media. Each chapter includes several recipes.