Despite a brave fightback, Rosie has been sent home from The Great British Bake Off following a close semi-final.

The vet triumphed in the technical challenge after a disastrous start but her showstopper failed to make an impression.

Against the odds she rescued her pastry and came first in the blind challenge, but left the Bake Off tent following a patisserie week which saw all the contestants struggling.

The Great British Bake Off 2019
Rosie on The Great British Bake Off 2019 (C4/Love Productions/Mark Bourdillon/PA)

Alice was named star baker despite fearing an exit in the semi-final, and goes through along with Steph and David.

Rosie said she was “gutted” to go out before the final, but was proud to get as far as she did.

She will now enjoy spending more time with her husband.

The Great British Bake Off 2019
Alice was named star baker (C4/Love Productions/Mark Bourdillon/PA)

“I love spending time with my husband and family, but I hardly saw him during Bake Off unless he was cleaning up the kitchen,” she said.

“He has been an incredible support – he would go to a 24-hour supermarket shop at 2am to get eggs that I had run out of. I had to practise at night because I was working all day.”

Contestants struggled with the intricacies of patisserie week, creating domed tartlets for the signature.

In the technical challenge, Rosie had problems with the pastry for her St Honore gateau, and tried several times to “remake everything”. However, she managed to complete the task and come first.

Alice was afraid she would be knocked out after coming last in the technical, despite being named a “steady dark horse” by judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

But she impressed with her “glass case” showstopper, and was ultimately named star baker to secure her place in the final.

Hollywood said: “We have got three very talented bakers in there. If they all bring their A-game to next week’s final, it will be one of the best finals we have ever had.”

Rosie will join Jo Brand on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice at 8pm on Channel 4 on October 25.