When most people think of a skimpily clad pole dancer, they probably don’t picture someone whose happy place is a flour-covered kitchen and elaborately decorated cakes. But then they haven’t met Francesca Boyle.
The 27-year-old from Wellington admits her twin passions of baking and pole dancing are, well, poles apart, however, that’s precisely why she loves them. “They’re hobbies at very different ends of the spectrum, but that’s the beauty of being a woman – being able to fit in all the facets of my personality,” she laughs.
Currently, Francesca’s expertise with the pole is taking a backseat to baking because she’s one of 10 contestants on The Great Kiwi Bake Off, which returns for a fourth season on TVNZ 1 on Thursday.
Whether she’s bending or baking, Francesca’s a natural performer.
“I’ve always wanted to be on TV and have watched every episode of The Great British Bake Off, so I thought, ‘Why not try to get on TV with my baking?'” she tells.
A self-confessed “baking nerd”, the qualified lawyer was thrilled to win a coveted slot in the eight-week contest with photos of her delicious baking, which have earned her a following on Instagram. She hopes to wow the judges, acclaimed chef Peter Gordon and baking mogul Jordan “The Caker” Rondel, with her “big, occasion-style” creations.
“My specialty is birthday, anniversary and special-occasion cakes,” she explains. “I tend to go for classic cake flavours, but I’m known for my Swiss meringue buttercream – everyone seems to love that.”
Francesca is also known for the fresh flora she uses to decorate her cakes, which she gets from partner James Ladanyi’s family. “James’ mother has a huge garden around the corner from us and fortunately she’s happy to share her flowers.”
Currently working as an employment relations advisor, Francesca is excited about the opportunity to expand her culinary skills with expert bakers such as Los Angeles-based Kiwi cake maestro Jordan. “The judges have different styles, but Jordan likes savoury flavours and interesting flavour combinations, so I’m learning a lot from her.”
She’s also relishing spending time with her fellow bakers and “seeing the other side of TV – watching the crew work has been amazing”.
Born and bred in Hawke’s Bay, Francesca learned to bake with her grandmother, who she credits with teaching her “all those old-school, classic baking techniques”.
She moved to Wellington to study law at Victoria University, where she fitted baking and selling cakes around her studies. Francesca finished her degree on a student exchange in the UK, after which she and James, a barista, moved to London for two years. “I nannied and travelled as much as I could.”
They might still be in Britain had COVID not hit. Francesca tells, “We had to make a decision to ride out the lockdowns in London or to come home. We got back to Wellington three days before the border closed.”
While busy slotting into a new job and dusting off her baking skills, Francesca was also looking for a way to keep fit and active. A ballet dancer from the ages of five to 18, she enjoys activities that combine fitness and dance.
“I’d wanted to do pole dancing for years, but I’d never been in one place long enough to do so.” So she signed up for a class at a Petone studio and three or four times a week makes the half-hour drive from the rented Wellington home she shares with James.
“I love pole dancing so much because it covers many bases and there are lots of different classes you can take, from strength and stretch classes, to yoga and Pilates-style lessons. It’s a really well-rounded exercise,” she enthuses.
Francesca has even been invited to teach pole dancing and recently completed a six-week training course. “It’s an honour to be asked and I’m crazy excited to be able to pass my love of pole dancing onto others.”
First, though, there’s the challenge of The Great Kiwi Bake Off and maybe, at some stage, her own café. “I’d bake the cakes and James would make the coffee. We’d be a great team!”
