Hi guys! I am absolutely thrilled to be taking part in the Wattpad Block Party a second time around and I am very excited to be providing a sneak peak for my next book, All You Knead. It is something totally different to what I'm used to writing, combining a whole bunch of styles such as newspaper articles, interviews and regular chapters. The book is a totally fictional Farnleigh-based reality show, featuring many favourite couples, and I can't wait to share it with you and to revisit these characters. I've had a ton of fun creating graphics for this book, such as the ones you'll see below. I hope you like it!

To celebrate the Block Party, I will be giving away a signed paperback copy of "The Night Train" to one lucky reader (age 18+ only; available internationally) and I will also be naming a character after five lucky winners (of any age!) so make sure to enter for a chance to win! I hope you enjoy my post!

- Henn

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One week before the first episode of BBC's new cookery contest, All You Knead, airs on TV [Wednesday 14th November, 7pm, BBC One], I am granted exclusive access to the judges and presenters of the show that is breaking down barriers and pushing boundaries before it has begun. Four of the most well-known faces on British television, it's not so long ago that it would have been unheard of to see them present a show together: not as tokens or quota-fillers, but the main talent. They are not the butt of the joke: they are the jokers.

Last month, the show's producers released the following promotional images - it was the first snapshot of information to provided, at the time giving no clue as to the roles the two duos would be performing. With two chefs in one, however, and a comedic duo in another, it was a fairly transparent move!

Comedy team Kaziza look to each other in promo pic

I am due meet the four in a quiet, plush hotel suite on the outskirts of town. Kim Fay and Aziza Ahmed arrive within minutes of me sitting down, their personalities filling the room. Better known as Kaziza, the two make up one of Britain's most beloved comedy duos, a pair who manage to address the problems they face without being self-deprecating. Kim, who describes herself as "plus plus ... plus size," drops down onto the sofa opposite me with a gasp. The seat is lower than she expected; we both laugh. Aziza, her comedy partner of six years, picks up one of the bottles of water and takes a sip before she sits and smiles, and she smooths down her hijab.

At just twenty-three years old - though she could easily pass for fifteen- Aziza is a fresh young face with a sharp wit that never fails to surprise. Without a scrap of make-up, her hair hidden beneath her headscarf, she is an unassuming young woman who broke onto the comedy scene after meeting Kim, 28, at a comedy festival a little over six years ago. The two have been inseparable ever since, hence their fan-given nickname of Kaziza.

Five minutes before the interview is due to commence, Choi Huang and Devon Shaw arrive together. They're deep in conversation as they stroll through the doors: Choi's voice is notably softer than the one viewers may be used to; Devon's smile is just as bright. The two are virtual opposites who had never worked together before this show, but they seem to be getting on just fine.

Choi, 50, has been a household name for almost thirty years. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, she made a name for herself at just twenty-one after coming second in a popular cookery show - with hordes of viewers claiming she was robbed of victory. But she didn't lose out: she has been presenting mainstream television shows and her own radio show ever since the final, and she has published over thirty cook books.

I can't imagine twenty-seven-year-old Devon could have a much different story. Born two years after his co-judge's win, the two are generations apart - his mother, who gave birth at seventeen, is six years younger than Choi. Devon is unrecognisable as the person he started adulthood as: nine years ago, he began studying for a degree in computer science. Three years later, he completed both his degree and his transition and eighteen months later, he became the first openly transgender contestant - and subsequent winner - of The Great British Bake-Off.

We make small talk for a few moments while they settle. Aziza finishes her water and plucks a couple of biscuits off the plate between us, sharing one with her partner in crime; Kim rolls her eyes and laughs when she bites into the biscuit and loses a corner of it to her cleavage. She jokes that she won't see it for a while, her hands over her generous bust. Her size forms the base of many of her routines: she doesn't pick fun at herself, instead addressing and shutting down the criticisms she receives. Prim and proper Choi adjusts her position while beside her, Devon sits with his knees crossed and one arm thrown over the back of the sofa. When the clock strikes ten, I turn on my recorder and we begin the interview.

Interviewer: I'm honoured to be interviewing the incredible team behind All You Knead, and the unstoppable Kaziza!

Kim: Unstoppable? I don't know about that. One more flight of stairs and you might have stopped me.

Kim laughs; Aziza wears a coy smile. Devon snorts a laugh and covers his mouth, unscrewing a bottle of water; Choi glances across at the three of them as though they are her own misbehaving children. They could well be: the eldest of her four children is almost twenty-eight.

Aziza: It's nice to meet you Katie . . . can I call you Katie?

I may be a couple of years older than the comedian but I have to stop myself from gushing: I am one of the thousands who have fallen for the combined charm of Kaziza, and I am unashamed to admit that I have watched recordings of their every performance. Interviewing them is the opportunity of a lifetime.

I: Of course!

I open my notebook to the questions I have prepared – many were sent to me by fans eagerly awaiting the new show, whose messages filled my Twitter inbox when I announced the interview a couple of days ago. I turn to Choi, who awaits my question with a patient smile.

I: So, while Kaziza is an obvious duo, what brought you and Devon together as a judging duet? Have you ever worked together before?

Choi: No, we've never officially worked together, but I've been aware of Devon ever since he took part in the Bake-Off and I knew it was inevitable that we would end up doing something together. I'm so glad it's something as unique as All You Knead.

She has the most mellifluous voice, smooth as butter and a pleasure to listen to. It's no wonder she has achieved such success on both television and radio: she is as much a joy to listen to now as she was three decades ago. She smiles and looks at Devon when she mentions his name.

Devon: I still can't believe it, really. Choi's been my idol since I was a kid. When I was little, I had all her cook books and my mum and I would watch every show she did. Pretty much the only consistency in my childhood, really.

His voice is low and slow, each word measured before it is spoken. As he talks, he holds my gaze – it is almost unnerving, but he has gentle eyes beneath his thick eyebrows. He scratches his sculpted stubble and leans back in his seat. Choi tuts and shakes her head.

C: He makes me feel so old sometimes.

D: I keep you young.

Choi laughs and sweeps her hand out, gesturing at her three co-stars.

C: They all do. You know, I used to be asked onto shows as – well, they would never say, but it was obvious – as the token woman, or the token Asian. Now I'm the token oldie!

That gets a laugh from everyone. The group is a diverse mix, the four of them somehow managing to represent different races, gender identities, sexualities, religions, sizes and ages with ease. It doesn't feel forced, and I'm already sure that the show will be made by the frictionless chemistry between them. Choi and Devon have decades of experience between them: she claims to have cooked "at least five thousand" different recipes in her life time – with varying degrees of success, while he is a relatively new talent on the scene: his second cook book is due to come out this autumn. Aziza and Kim are on hand to provide comic relief, and the quick wit they're renowned for – not to mention a fair share of innuendo, sure to be plentiful in the culinary world of the infamous 'soggy bottom.'

K: That's total bollocks.

Kim is not known for mincing her words.

K: You're the only woman for the job. There literally isn't anyone on this planet who'd make a better judge. Though I guess it doesn't really matter what you think, the way this show is. It's actually pretty exciting.

Kim is referring to the format the show is taking – rather than relying on the judges' vote each week, the voting is instead up to the viewers. The episodes aren't live – each consists of three challenges, some of which take up to four hours alone, so they are filmed over the weekend– but so far, only the pilot has been filmed. After it airs on Friday, viewers will vote for their favourite couple. When it comes to time to film on Saturday morning, the couple who obtained the fewest votes the night before won't be there. While the format is tried and tested with talent shows the world over, this is the first time it has been applied to a cookery show.

I: Kim and Aziza: this is unlike anything you two have done before. You're known for performing shows and gigs together, you act together – what brings you to presenting?

K: It's a natural next step for us. We'd just finished touring so we got together, Azi and me, to figure out what we were going to do next. We have all these plans, so much lined up, it's just a matter of deciding what comes first. But then we were approached about this new show – all they told us at the time was it's kind of like the Bake-Off but with couples and we were like, well, that sounds pretty awesome. We both grew up with that show so to be a part of this, which is kind of like the Bake-Off two point oh, it really is incredible. Working with Choi and Devon is a dream and there's so much food. It's heaven, it really is.

Aziza is nodding along with a growing grin. Choi thanks Kim; Devon nods his head at her.

A: It's the opportunity of a lifetime. Not many people get to work with their best friend for a living, or present what is certainly going to be the next big thing, but I get to do both. I feel so lucky, I really do. When I was a kid, I never saw hijabis on TV – not until Nadiya won the Bake-Off, anyway. I never thought that was something I could even do until I saw her and I was so inspired. Now I have this awesome chance to be a role model for Muslim girls on national television and I love that.

Everyone here is a role model, I notice. They all look at each other, all saying the same thing without uttering a word. They have more of a job on their shoulders than simply presenting the show: they're representing too.

D: Azi makes a really important point. She's mentioned before that, especially as a comedian, she gets a ton of schtick for who she is, you know. There are still so many hateful people out there who want to tear us down for things we can't change, whether that's the colour of our skin or who we are as people. I mean, I've never hidden the fact that I'm trans – I'm not ashamed of who I am, but when I went on the Bake-Off, amongst all the love and support there were these trolls who made it their mission to dig up details on me and parade their findings over the internet like some kind of prize. Doing this, the four of us together, I think it gives us a really important chance to normalise who we are – we're just being people, having fun on a really cool show.

We all let his words sink in for a moment. Choi curls her fingers around his hand and he gives her the slightest smile.

I: This isn't just any cookery show. What sets All You Knead aside from every other food contest there is out there?

Aziza's eyes light up. I turn to her for an answer.

A: It's so different. Like, a whole other league. The contestants compete in pairs, but they're not just totally random – they're all couples from around here, the Farnleigh area. We have six couples on the show and each episode is designed to really test them – not only how well they can cook, but how well they communicate, and how well they work as a team. We've only filmed one episode so far, which you'll see next week, but it's turned out incredibly. I mean, it's hilarious – and that's before Kim and I even open our mouths!

Kim nods, slugging from her water bottle.

K: I can't wait for next weekend, though I'm totally gutted one of the couples will be going home. Maybe we could do one of those immune first week things – it's so harsh to send someone home after they've only done one episode. Obviously, I don't want to spoil anything, but I think I did actually wet myself laughing while we were filming. I was dying.

She starts to laugh at the memory, her eyes glistening. She and Devon share a moment's eye contact and he takes over the story.

D: There's this one couple ... oh my goodness, they just can't cook. I mean ... wow. I don't know how they're still alive. In any other cooking show, they wouldn't even make it to air, but this is kind of a popularity show too. I mean, the viewers get to vote for who they want to see more of, so they could, I suppose, they could win the show without actually winning a single challenge, or cooking a single decent meal.

C: I think that's rather fun, don't you? Everyone's so serious these days. It's been such a relief being able to have fun on a show like this. The couples all know each other – they're friends, or they're family – so it's quite amusing to watch those dynamics playing out.

I: You could argue that it's quite cruel, couldn't you? Pitting couples against each other, against their loved ones, to try to win a popularity contest?

Choi shakes her head, her lips pressed into a thin line, and I feel as though I am about to be admonished.

C: No. I wouldn't say that at all. Everyone knows what the deal is, what the format is – it's supposed to be fun, a lighthearted show. It's not like there's a big cash prize they're all fighting for – we're not trying to tear these couples apart or push a rift between their families.

D: I agree with Choi. It really isn't a bitter contest at all – it's almost a satire, really.

Kim nods, her braids bouncing.

K: Yeah! It's kind of a mockery, you know? We're all – I want to say we're all experts in your field, y'know? Azi and I are comedians for a living; Choi and Devon are professional cooks. But we've come together with this show as a breath of fresh air. It's highlighting the comedy in cooking, and I guess it's kind of a character study too. It's so interesting, talking to these couples off-screen and hanging out with them, and then seeing how their personalities translate. There's this one woman – I won't say who she is, but you'll see, I'm sure – who is the absolute sweetest when we're off the air. Quiet, sensitive, totally devoted to her kids when they come and visit the set – but as soon as it's contest time, she's this fierce little thing with the craziest competitive streak.

She chuckles to herself; the others grin. They all know who Kim is talking about and I can't wait to watch the show and try to spot who they're talking about.

A: It's fun. That's what it's supposed to be. It's just fun. I can't wait to get back to filming, and I hope it works out because I'd love to do it again every year.

Aziza is not alone in that sentiment. Choi, Kim and Devon all nod their agreement. Her words seem to sum up their feelings towards the show, which sounds like it will live up to the trailors: reported to be a holy trinity of Masterchef; The Great British Bake-Off, and Mr and Mrs, I can't wait for All You Knead to make its debut.

Don't miss the first episode of BBC One's ALL YOU KNEAD on Wednesday the 14th of November at 7pm.

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·      Katie Cadence is a graduate of Callaghan University with a degree in journalism and a master's in creative writing. Katie works as an entertainment journalist for the Farnleigh Flyer and also writes a weekly column in the Sunday paper.

Read more at www.farnleighflyer.com/katiec

Head to www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/food-and-drink/all-you-knead to meet the contestants.

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