Bake Off: The Professionals contestant Emanuele fights back tears in most disastrous show yet as TWO cakes collapse

BAKE Off: The Professionals left the nation gasping in horror after TWO cakes collapsed in the first episode.

The Great British Bake Off spin-off returned for a new series on Tuesday night and was certainly back with a bang.

After the professional bakers and pastry chefs were challenged with making 36 mini French cakes called Strawberry Fraisiers, they were given a huge challenge.

The opening episode's first six teams of two were asked to make a treacle tart showstopper that could defy gravity.

But as professionals Emanuele and Mariola - who work at London's exclusive members' haunt Club Eight - were just finishing theirs off, disaster struck.

Their entire creation, which was made from sugar, smashed onto the table into hundreds of pieces.

Emanuele was left fighting back tears as Mariola put her arms around her colleague in a bid to comfort him.

Then five minutes later, another cake took a huge tumble off the table.

French pals David and Cydrick, who work at Maison Mayci in Birmingham, watched in horror as their chocolate masterpiece fell over.

The pair had balanced a chocolate elephant and teddy on top of their treacle tart showstopper - but it did not defy gravity.

Fans were quick to share their shock at the two enormous blunders on Twitter, with many offering their sympathies to the contestants.

One wrote: "I just heard the whole nation gasp at #GBBO."

Another added: "I could have cried when that just happened. Gutting.";

And a third said: "Just witnessed the worst collapse in #GBBO The Professionals EVER!"

While David and Cydrick were able to piece their showstopper back together, Emanuele and Mariola were only able to serve the judges a miniature treacle tart.

As a result, they were sent home.

Meanwhile, this year's Bake Off: The Professionals has undergone a presenter shake-up.

Stacey Solomon is now at the helm of the C4 show - having taking over from Tom Allen - along with regular presenter Liam Charles.

The pickiest judges on TV, top patisserie experts - Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden - have also returned for the new series.