Dame Mary Berry has opened up about her new cookery series, Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking, and how she was left stunned by Alan Titchmarsh’s recent message after the show
As Dame Mary Berry gears up to take the spotlight in her newest cookery programme, she has shared how she was taken aback to receive an email from Alan Titchmarsh 10 days after they filmed together.
In recent years, Dame Mary has remained at the heart of British cuisine, spearheading Great British Bake Off from 2010 until 2016 alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood. She has also published numerous recipe collections, selling millions of copies worldwide.
Following the launch of her latest publication, Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes, she has been joined by several of her closest celebrity friends, who will feature alongside her in Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking, scheduled to broadcast on the BBC later this month.
Among those appearing in the programme was popular gardening specialist Alan Titchmarsh, who she recently admitted “hadn’t a clue” while she guided him through making a spaghetti and salmon dish.
Speaking to Radio Times magazine, she revealed that the former Gardeners’ World presenter remained “so keen” despite his culinary struggles during filming.
Much to her astonishment, 10 days after his appearance on the programme, she spotted a message in her email: “To me, the huge reward was that 10 days after we recorded the show, he sent me an email with a picture of a table, all laid with the pasta dish and a glass of red wine.”
Sharing Alan’s thoughtful message, she added: “I did exactly what you said, and I’m very proud of this.”
Expressing her admiration for Alan’s efforts, Dame Mary remarked: “He gets the star. That is what I love.”
Also set to join Dame Mary in her new series are renowned TV chef Jamie Oliver, Match of the Day host Gabby Logan, and comedian and actor Tom Allen.
While she is now considered a national treasure, the 90-year-old honed her culinary expertise in her twenties when she trained at the world-famous Le Cordon Bleu school in Paris.
Following her return to the UK, she quickly embarked on a television career, appearing alongside Judith Chalmers on Afternoon Plus.
Over the years, she began writing her own cookery books while simultaneously building her television reputation through appearances across numerous BBC programmes.
Nevertheless, her most prominent TV role came in 2010 when she teamed up with Paul Hollywood as co-judge on The Great British Bake Off, before departing the show and being succeeded by Dame Prue Leith.