GBBO finale attracts 13m viewers beating Strictly, The X-Factor and BGT finals

The climax of the 10-week BBC1 series draw an average audience of 12.3 million - one of the biggest TV audiences of the year. When the winner of last year's X Factor was crowned in December, the ITV singing contest could manage an audience of 9.7 million.

Last night's show even beat the 2013 finale of Strictly Come Dancing which had an audience of 11.5 million, as well as the most recent Britain's Got Talent final on 10.9 million, putting Bake Off into a new league.

Judges lavished praise on Ms Birtwhistle's cookery skills with Mary Berry hailing her "quiet determination" and Hollywood describing her baking as "close to perfection".

Ms Birtwhistle's win had caught many by surprise with Richard Burr, 37, expected to take the honours after weeks of supremacy. He was the bookies' favourite and had been named "star baker" five times, to just one week - during the first heat - for the eventual winner.

She said she was so caught up in the moment, she could now barely recall the actual triumph.

"The judges said my name, and I can't really remember what happened," she said.

"Later I was asked how I was feeling in an interview, but I felt I didn't have the vocabulary, it was all a bit of a fog."

Bake Off moved to BBC1 for the first time this year which has helped it to up its audience and increasingly capture the public imagination. Last year's final on BBC2 had an average audience of 8.5 million.

Ms Birtwhistle said of her win: "It has been a fantastic, incredible experience. There has been the baking, learning and writing recipes. Getting to know the other bakers has been fantastic and being amongst lost of young people, seeing how television works - the whole experience has been fantastic."

She joked that she had thought "neither" of the defeated finalists - Burr and graphic designer Luis Troyano, 42 - had been a threat.

After the show a gracious Mr Troyano tweeted: "Massive congratulations to Nancy and to Richard Burr love you both. Thanks to everyone for the massive support and good wishes."

And builder Mr Burr said: "Congratulations to Nancy. A brilliant baker, and a great friend. Hope I gave you a run for your money nance!!"

Ms Birtwhistle and her fellow finalists had to complete the toughest challenges of the series, finishing with a towering "piece montee" as their showstopper, with sponge, caramel, choux pastry and petit fours, completed in five hours.

She leapt ahead during the technical challenge, coming first with her array of tartes au citron, Victoria sponges and scones, while Mr Burr blew it by coming last.

Ms Birtwhistle said it was an emotional moment as the three hopefuls gathered to hear who had won after 10 weeks of competition in which they had undertaken 30 separate challenges.

She said: "I can remember having to stand for what seemed an eternity to hear the result. I looked at a tree in the distance and focused on that rather than looking at the judges, and felt what will be will be.

"We were all pretty exhausted, Luis was close to tears, and Richard looked the same. I took a big gulp, and realised that this moment was like knowing the snowman is going to melt and it will never be the same again. So it was quite a poignant time for all of us."

They were joined by the eliminated contenders from throughout the series in the famous marquee pitched on the estate of Welford Park in Berkshire.

Last night's show even pulled in a bigger crowd than BBC1's coverage of the World Cup Final in the summer on 12.1 million - although when combined with ITV's coverage of the game at the same time, the football had a total audience of 14.9 million.

Bake Off failed to beat the audience for England's World Cup match against Uruguay which had an average audience, according to overnight figures, of 13.1 million.