Nurse to Bake Off Star: Vanessa’s Journey from Peter Mac to Prime Time
29 July 2025
Peter Mac Nurse Vanessa Furci to star in season eight of The Great Australian Bake Off
When the pressure’s on, Peter Mac nurse Vanessa Furci knows how to stay cool — whether she’s delivering chemotherapy in patients’ homes or racing against the clock in the Great Australian Bake Off shed.
Vanessa, who’s worked at Peter Mac since 2016, is now one of 12 bakers starring in Season 8 of the Great Australian Bake Off, starting tonight on Binge and Foxtel’s Lifestyle channel.
And while she can’t reveal what happens just yet, she describes the experience as “the most insane rollercoaster you've ever been on.”
Vanessa’s love for food runs deep. Her eyes light up as soon as she starts talking about being in the kitchen.
“I’ve always cooked with my Nonna — in the kitchen, in the garage — from a very young age,” she says with a big smile.
“Playing with dough, touching ingredients, learning through my hands. I’ve always felt that the love and memories food brings can’t be matched by anything else.”
Her Italian roots inspire her signature bakes — think tiramisu, traditional biscuits, and rustic, homegrown flavours.
“I love cooking peasant food,” she says. “And I still feel like my Nonna is with me — there’s a photo of her in my kitchen, watching over me.”
Vanessa on set of the Great Australian Bake Off
Vanessa works with the Peter Mac @ Home team, travelling across Melbourne to deliver cancer care in people’s homes.
“I absolutely love it,” she says. “The relationships you build with patients, the chance to bring care to where they feel most comfortable — it’s incredibly rewarding.”
That ability to stay calm, connect with people, and juggle intense pressure came in handy when the cameras started rolling.
"Nursing definitely prepared me for the pressure of the show. Being in high-stress situations, managing emotions — it’s part of the job. It gave me the resilience I needed.”
Vanessa never imagined she’d end up on a baking show.
“I didn’t even know they were looking for contestants,” she laughs.
The season eight Great Australian Bake Off cast
“My cousin sent me the application three times. Eventually I applied just for a laugh. That laugh turned into an interview, then a bake-off challenge — and then I got the call. Out of over 1,000 people, I was one of 12 chosen. I couldn’t believe it.”
Filming took place in late 2024, when Vanessa was just finishing maternity leave with her youngest child.
“I had a three-year-old and a baby at home. Being away from them was hard, but being surrounded by like-minded people who love food — it was magical.”
Vanessa’s Peter Mac colleagues have been her biggest cheer squad.
“They’re so excited,” she says.
“And they love that I bring in baked goods all the time — especially when I’ve been practicing a new recipe. I’ll spend 8 to 12 hours cooking at home. They definitely reap the rewards!”
For Vanessa, food is about more than flavour. It’s about presence, memory, and joy.
“To me, food is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she says. “You can make the same dish 100 times, but it’ll never be the same. That’s what I love so much — it connects us to a moment, and to each other.”
You can catch Vanessa on The Great Australian Bake Off, which starts tonight at 7:30pm on Binge and Foxtel’s Lifestyle channel.