#voluntary service overseas vso

David Atherton won the 2019 edition of Great British Bake-Off winner. His day job, while not concocting sweet deserts, is as a nurse health advisor for the charity Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). That effort took him to war zones in the Ivory Coast, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

He explained:

“Having been evacuated from two wars and had malaria nine times, definitely helped me handle the pressure on Bake Off. I was able to keep things in perspective…”

Atherton grew up in an evangelical Christian family rural Yorkshire, England. In an interview with Attitude Magazine, Atherton said that when he realized he was gay it resulting in a lot of shame

“All my friends were Christians and there was never a day that went by where I didn’t hear a very hurtful thing said referring to LGBTQ people.”

Working in Africa during his 20s also delayed his coming out. He was told that being gay could lead to time in jail if he wasn’t careful.

Atherton finally came out at the age of 29.

“I realised that I hadn’t been brave… It got to a tipping point where I thought ‘No, I can’t live a lie any more.’

Today, David lives with his partner Nik Sariyski who is from Bulgaria (a homophobic country). Nik is the first partner that David has introduced his family. In 2020 they announced their engagement.

Atherton continues to work for VSO and has written several cook books.