In week one, Sura was the villain of the piece.
She catastrophically, but accidentally, knocked fellow contestant Dave's pineapple upside-down cake off the judging counter, while trying to swat a fly.
"I'm so sorry! Oh my God," she said, after destroying hours of work and leaving him with little to show for his efforts in the baking tent.
Fast forward two weeks and Sura Selvarajah, 31, a pharmacy dispenser who lives in London with her husband and elderly grandmother, has become one of the stars of beloved UK cooking show The Great British Bake Off.
She has put her family’s Middle Eastern heritage at the heart of her bakes, with a cooking style which includes influences from Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and India.
In week two she made her version of florentines – a sweet pastry made of nuts and fruit – inspired by her childhood travels to Iran.
She impressed judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, and bantered with hosts Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding.
Her dramatic facial expressions when the remaining time is announced have become her trademark, and made her a fan favourite on Twitter during Bread Week.
The official Great British Bake Off account tweeted:
Sura’s expressions while being judged are everything ❤️ #GBBO pic.twitter.com/TOIk90HUC8
— British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) October 6, 2020
Viewers remarked her facial expressions were the "best thing about the series" and "downright adorable" while one pointed out there was an "obvious niceness" about her.
Others compared her shocked look to that of Friends character Joey Tribbiani and actor Robert Downey Jr.
Last week I decided that I would be backing Sura in the #GBBO
— Ben W (@iamzavagno) September 29, 2020
This week I’m feeling confident and secure in that choice. Her panic face is the best!
Also, Team Pharmacy! 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/FEpUs59VVM
Sura every time Paul or Prue criticise her bake #gbbo #bakeoff #biscuitweek pic.twitter.com/luNnKquN5i
— Being Alwyn (@BeingAlwyn) September 29, 2020
“Sura, you have 5 minutes left!”#GBBO pic.twitter.com/b2FcPWJLbO
— Dan Beasley-Harling (@DBeasleyHarling) October 6, 2020
Will be reacting to most things with Sura’s facial expressions going forward
— Ben Henley-Washford (@BuenoHW) October 6, 2020
Can we have an emoji kit for Sura's facial expressions please? #GBBO pic.twitter.com/vId9M02TLk
— k_therine | إِيمَان (@k_therinehssn) October 6, 2020
It was a far cry from the opening show, when she was on the receiving end of viewers’ ire.
Some suggested rival contestant Dave Friday should have knocked Sura's bakes on the floor after she accidentally destroyed his cake.
Another fumed: "There's no hell hot enough for desert saboteurs."
I can't deal with the fact that Dave has just brushed off last weeks events if I was him I'd throw Sura's bake on the floor and go
— Calli Kitson (@callikitson) September 29, 2020
Woops sorry there was a fly xx
#GBBO
And Sura won... well that’s a bit awkward #GBBO pic.twitter.com/FzE4RRs4Ff
— lara (@lararenx) September 22, 2020
On Instagram, she describes herself as a yogi with a love of cats, wanderlust and the motto “be kind to one another”.
She has written: “Baking is my way of relaxing, it allows me to switch off and just do what I love.”
She has also said of her Bake Off experience: "I was so excited to get into the tent.
"I was looking forward to meeting Prue the most. I have watched her for many years on TV and I just loved her passion for food and flavours and her immense knowledge of it all.
"She inspired a lot of my baking in my early 20s."
She was bowled over when Sir David Attenborough commented on one of her cakes – intended to resemble him –while being interviewed on TV.
“I’m not crying, you are,” she wrote. “I love and admire him so much so this is a huge deal for me.”