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Mary Berry

{{Short description|English food writer and television presenter (born 1935)}}

{{other people}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix = Dame

| name = Mary Berry

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DBE}}

| image = Mary Berry at Chelsea Flower Show - 2017 - (34039048853) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Berry at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2017

| birth_name = Mary Rosa Alleyne Berry

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1935|3|24}}

| birth_place = Bath, Somerset, England

| citizenship =

| alias = Mary, Queen of Cakes

| occupation = {{flatlist|

  • Food writer
  • chef
  • baker
  • television presenter
  • author}}

| education = {{Plainlist}}

{{endplainlist}}

| television = {{Plainlist}}

  • The Great British Bake Off (2010–2016)
  • The Mary Berry Story (2013)
  • Mary Berry Cooks (2014)
  • Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites (2015)
  • Mary Berry's Foolproof Cooking (2016)
  • Mary Berry Everyday (2017)
  • Classic Mary Berry (2018)
  • Britain's Best Home Cook (2018–present)
  • Mary Berry's Quick Cooking (2019)
  • A Berry Royal Christmas (2019)
  • Mary Berry's Simple Comforts (2020)
  • Mary Makes Christmas (2024)

{{endplainlist}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Paul Hunnings|1966}}

| children = 3

| website = {{URL|maryberry.co.uk/}}

| module = {{Listen| embed=yes |filename = Mary_berry_bbc_radio4_desert_island_discs_29_07_2012_b01l5pll.flac |title = Mary Berry's voice |type = speech |description = from the BBC programme Desert Island Discs, 29 July 2012.{{Cite episode |title= Mary Berry |series= Desert Island Discs |url= http://bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01l5pll |station= BBC Radio 4 |date= 29 July 2012 |access-date= 18 January 2014 |archive-date= 2 February 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140202145008/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01l5pll |url-status= live }} }}

}}

{{British cuisine}}

Dame Mary Rosa Alleyne Hunnings{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/08810059/persons-with-significant-control|title=Persons with significant control|publisher=Companies House, Government of the United Kingdom|access-date=20 October 2021|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141121/https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/08810059/persons-with-significant-control|url-status=live}} {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DBE}} (née Berry; born 24 March 1935) is an English food writer, chef, baker and television presenter. After being encouraged in domestic science classes at school, she studied catering at college. She then moved to France at the age of 22 to study at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, before working in a number of cooking-related jobs.

Berry has published more than 75 cookery books, including her best-selling Baking Bible in 2009. Her first book was The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook in 1970. She hosted several television series for the BBC and Thames Television. Berry is an occasional contributor to Woman's Hour and Saturday Kitchen. She was a judge on the television programme The Great British Bake Off until 2016.

Early life

Berry was born on 24 March 1935, the second of three children, to Margaret ({{nee}} Wilson; 1905–2011) and Alleyne William Steward Berry (1904–1989), a chartered surveyor and planner who served as Mayor of Bath in 1952 and was closely involved in establishing the University of Bath at Claverton Down. Mary's great-great-grandfather on her father's side, Robert Houghton, was a master baker in the 1860s who provided bread for a local workhouse in Norwich.{{Cite web |title=Mary Berry - Who Do You Think You Are - A long line of determined business people that had tremendous energy and drive... |url=https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2014/who-do-you-think-you-are/mary-berry-157/ |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=www.thegenealogist.co.uk |archive-date=4 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404060009/https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2014/who-do-you-think-you-are/mary-berry-157/ |url-status=live }} Her mother died in 2011, aged 105.{{Cite news |last=McGrath |first=Nick |date=2012-11-03 |title=Mary Berry: My family values |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/03/mary-berry-baking-family-values |access-date=2024-03-30 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=12 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812230039/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/03/mary-berry-baking-family-values |url-status=live }}

At the age of 13, Berry contracted polio and had to spend three months in the Claverton Down Isolation Hospital. Her illness resulted in her having a twisted spine, a weaker left hand and thinner left arm. She has said that the period of forced separation from her family while in the hospital "toughened [her] up" and taught her to make the most of every opportunity she would have.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10267275/Mary-Berry-I-couldnt-understand-why-mum-wouldnt-give-me-a-cuddle.html|title=Mary Berry: 'I couldn't understand why mum wouldn't give me a cuddle'|date=27 August 2013|website=The Telegraph|access-date=30 November 2019|archive-date=28 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228124544/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10267275/Mary-Berry-I-couldnt-understand-why-mum-wouldnt-give-me-a-cuddle.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainment/people/love-mary-berry-here-are-12-things-we-bet-you-didn-t-know-about-her-110545|title=Mary Berry: 11 things you probably didn't know about her|author1=Francesca Rice|date=5 August 2014|website=Marie Claire UK|access-date=30 November 2019|archive-date=28 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228124542/https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainment/people/love-mary-berry-here-are-12-things-we-bet-you-didn-t-know-about-her-110545|url-status=live}}

Berry attended Bath High School, where she described her academic abilities as "hopeless" until she attended domestic science classes with a teacher called Miss Date, who was particularly encouraging of her cooking abilities.{{cite news|last=Pownall|first=Elfreda|title=Mary Berry: queen of cakes|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8737878/Mary-Berry-queen-of-cakes.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8737878/Mary-Berry-queen-of-cakes.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=31 March 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=11 September 2011|location=London}}{{cbignore}} Her first creation in the class was a treacle sponge pudding which she took home, and her father told her that it was as good as that made by her mother. She then studied catering at Bath College of Domestic Science.

Career

Berry's first job was at the Bath Electricity Board showroom and then conducting home visits to show new customers how to use their electric ovens. She would typically demonstrate the ovens by making a Victoria sponge, a technique she would later repeat when in television studios to test out an oven she had not used before. Her catchment area for demonstrations was limited to the greater Bath area, which she drove around in a Ford Popular supplied as a company car.

Her ambition was to move out of the family home to London, which her parents would not allow until she was 21. At the age of 22, she applied to work at the Dutch Dairy Bureau, while taking City & Guilds courses in the evenings. She then persuaded her manager to pay for her to undertake the professional qualification from the French Le Cordon Bleu school.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/the-great-british-bake-off-thing-you-didnt-know-about-mary-berry/|title=The Great British Bake Off: 12 things you didn't know about Mary Berry|first=Leah|last=Hyslop|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=24 August 2016|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}

She left the Dutch Dairy Bureau to become a recipe tester for PR firm Benson's, where she began to write her first book. She has since cooked for a range of food-related bodies, including the Egg Council and the Flour Advisory Board. In 1966 she became food editor of Housewife magazine. She was food editor of Ideal Home magazine from 1970 to 1973.{{cite web|title = Mary Berry|url = http://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/people/mary-berry/|publisher = UKTV Food|access-date = 31 March 2012|archive-date = 2 September 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150902233749/http://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/people/mary-berry/|url-status = dead}}

Her first cookbook, The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook, was published in 1970.{{cite web|title=Mary Berry|url=http://www.quadrille.co.uk/author/mary-berry/56|publisher=Quadrille Publishing|access-date=31 March 2012|archive-date=1 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001234205/http://www.quadrille.co.uk/author/mary-berry/56|url-status=live}} She launched her own product range in 1994 with her daughter Annabel. The salad dressings and sauces were originally only sold at Mary's AGA cooking school, but have since been sold in Britain, Germany and Ireland with retailers such as Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and Tesco.{{cite web|title=Mary Berry's Salad Dressings & Sauces|url=http://www.maryberry.co.uk/dr_producthistory.asp|publisher=Mary Berry.co.uk|access-date=31 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126030851/http://www.maryberry.co.uk/dr_producthistory.asp|archive-date=26 January 2013}}

In December 2012, Berry became the first president of the new Bath Spa University Alumni Association.{{cite web|url=http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/Homepage/news/Mary-Berry-President-of-new-Bath-Spa-University-Alumni-Association|title=Mary Berry President of new Bath Spa University Alumni Association|work=Press Release|publisher=Bath Spa University|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212145815/http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/Homepage/news/Mary-Berry-President-of-new-Bath-Spa-University-Alumni-Association|archive-date=12 December 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=6 December 2013}} She has also appeared on a BBC Two series called The Great British Food Revival, and her solo show, Mary Berry Cooks, began airing on 3 March 2014.{{Cite web |date=2014-03-05 |title=Mary Berry's new series attracts 3.2m |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a555535/mary-berrys-new-bbc-two-series-attracts-32-million/ |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=Digital Spy |language=en-GB |archive-date=30 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330181755/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a555535/mary-berrys-new-bbc-two-series-attracts-32-million/ |url-status=live }}

In her own kitchen, she uses a KitchenAid mixer which she describes as being the one gadget she could not live without.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/mary-berry-i-freeze-leftover-wine-so-i-can-add-it-to-gravy-and-cheer-it-up-2335391.html|title=Mary Berry: 'I freeze leftover wine so I can add it to gravy and cheer it up'|last=Montgomery|first=Hugh|date=14 August 2011|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=31 March 2012|location=London|archive-date=18 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218165425/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/mary-berry-i-freeze-leftover-wine-so-i-can-add-it-to-gravy-and-cheer-it-up-2335391.html|url-status=live}} She has always had an AGA cooker,{{cite web|url=http://www.agaliving.com/aga-living/at-home-with-my-aga/mary-berry|title=Mary Berry|last1=James|first1=Laura|publisher=Aga|access-date=6 June 2017|archive-date=3 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703022456/http://www.agaliving.com/aga-living/at-home-with-my-aga/mary-berry|url-status=live}} and used to run cooking courses for AGA users.{{cite web|url=http://www.maryberry.co.uk/aga_workshop.asp|title=Aga Workshops|publisher=Mary Berry.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102084810/http://www.maryberry.co.uk/aga_workshop.asp|archive-date=2 January 2013|access-date=31 March 2012}} She describes Raymond Blanc's restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons as one of her favourites as well as the Old Queen's Head, local to where she lived in Penn, High Wycombe.

In February 2015, Berry featured in a programme in aid of the Third World charity Comic Relief.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/feb/12/mary-berrys-great-comic-relief-bake-off-cooks-up-6-million-viewers|title=Mary Berry's Great Comic Relief Bake Off cooks up 6 million viewers|last=Plunkett|first=John|date=12 February 2015|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=11 November 2016}} In May 2015, she began presenting a new BBC Two series called Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites. In November 2015, she was the subject of a two-part biographical documentary entitled The Mary Berry Story.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qgf70|title=The Mary Berry Story – BBC Two|publisher=BBC|access-date=11 November 2016|archive-date=31 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231192531/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qgf70|url-status=live}} Starting on 30 November 2015, she was one of the two judges for a four-week American edition of the popular baking competition The Great Holiday Baking Show on ABC, which followed a similar format to the British competition.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/nov/30/great-holiday-baking-show-british-bake-off-abc-copy-fails|title=The Great Holiday Baking Show: US tries and fails to copy UK super smash|last1=Moylan|first1=Brian|date=30 November 2015|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=18 November 2016}}

Berry became President of the [http://www.ngs.org.uk National Garden Scheme] in 2016; for over 20 years, she had opened her garden for charity.{{cite web|url=https://ngs.org.uk/who-we-are/our-people/honorary-officers/|title=Honorary Officers|website=National Garden Scheme|access-date=25 August 2020|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923052948/https://ngs.org.uk/who-we-are/our-people/honorary-officers/|url-status=live}}

In November 2016, it was announced that Berry would present a new six-part series, Mary Berry Everyday in which she would share her cooking tips, family favourites and special occasion recipes. The show aired on BBC Two.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37971611|title=Mary Berry lands another BBC show|date=14 November 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=15 November 2016|archive-date=15 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115050301/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37971611|url-status=live}}

In April 2017, Berry launched a series of cakes that could be bought from supermarkets. The cakes contain emulsifiers and preservatives that Berry has previously described as "unwanted extras".{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/07/mary-berry-dabbles-dark-arts-shop-bought-sponge/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/07/mary-berry-dabbles-dark-arts-shop-bought-sponge/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Mary Berry dabbles in the dark arts of the shop-bought sponge|last=Singh|first=Anita|date=7 April 2017|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=5 November 2017}}{{cbignore}} From 22 November 2017 to 13 December 2017, Berry presented a 4-part series called Mary Berry's Country House Secrets on BBC One. In this series, she ventured to four of the UK's stately homes and explored each through the prism of food and history. The locations were Highclere Castle, Scone Palace, Powderham Castle and Goodwood House.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09gv241|title=BBC One – Mary Berry's Country House Secrets|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 February 2019|archive-date=12 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212140323/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09gv241|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/11/22/mary-berrys-country-house-secrets-taste-high-life-doyenne-dough/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/11/22/mary-berrys-country-house-secrets-taste-high-life-doyenne-dough/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Mary Berry's Country House Secrets was a taste of the high life from the doyenne of dough: review|first=Rachel|last=Ward|date=22 November 2017|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=12 February 2019}}{{cbignore}}

In 2018, Berry was a judge on Britain's Best Home Cook alongside chef Dan Doherty and Chris Bavin.

Berry's new six-part television cookery series called Mary Berry's Simple Comforts premiered on BBC Two, 9 September 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mfhp/broadcasts/upcoming|access-date=30 August 2020|title=Mary Berry's Simple Comforts|archive-date=5 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405232930/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mfhp/broadcasts/upcoming|url-status=live}}

Mary Berry Saves Christmas, a BBC One special in which Berry helps a group of amateur cooks make a Christmas feast for their families, was shown on Christmas Day 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.cornwalllife.co.uk/food-drink/mary-berry-set-to-save-christmas-1-5172849|title=Mary Berry set to 'Save Christmas' with new show and cooking tips|publisher=cornwalllife.co.uk|date=11 November 2020|access-date=24 November 2020|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204014025/https://www.cornwalllife.co.uk/food-drink/mary-berry-set-to-save-christmas-1-5172849|url-status=live}}

In 2021, Berry was a celebrity judge on the BBC series Celebrity Best Home Cook alongside Angela Hartnett and Chris Bavin; while Claudia Winkleman was the show's presenter.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/celebrity-best-home-cook|title=BBC One announces contestants taking part in Celebrity Best Home Cook|website=bbc.co.uk|access-date=15 January 2021}} In December 2021, Berry presented Mary Berry's Festive Feasts, a BBC TV special in which she teaches three novice cooks to create a Christmas feast.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0012v7v|title=Mary Berry's Festive Feasts|website=bbc.co.uk|access-date=3 December 2021|archive-date=3 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203172121/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0012v7v|url-status=live}}

In 2022, Berry was named as one of the judges for the Platinum Pudding, a competition to create a British pudding to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.{{cite news |url=https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk/the-platinum-pudding-competition/ |title=The Platinum Pudding competition |date=January 2022 |publisher=HM Government |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110150955/https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk/the-platinum-pudding-competition/ |url-status=live }} In March 2022 BBC One aired the three-part series Mary Berry's Fantastic Feasts.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00156mb|title=Mary Berry's Fantastic Feasts|website=bbc.co.uk|access-date=27 February 2022|archive-date=27 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227102255/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00156mb|url-status=live}} In May 2022, Berry was a judge on the BBC One programme The Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years in the Baking, where she helped choose a brand new pudding to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00178bg|title=The Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years in the Baking|website=bbc.co.uk|access-date=11 May 2022|archive-date=11 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511181810/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00178bg|url-status=live}} In June 2022, the BBC commissioned the BBC Two series Mary Berry Cook And Share; which premiered on 7 September 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/mary-berry-sharing-food|title=Dame Mary Berry in brand new BBC series on sharing food|website=bbc.co.uk/mediacentre|accessdate=22 June 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.maryberry.co.uk/news/new-tv-series-starts-today-7th-september-mary-berry-cook-and-share#:~:text=*NEW*%20TV%20series%20starts%20today%20%2D%20Mary%20Berry%20Cook%20and%20Share&text=BBC2%2C%20Wednesday%207th%20September%2C%208pm,6%20x%2030%20mins%20episodes.|title=*NEW* TV SERIES STARTS TODAY, 7TH SEPTEMBER - MARY BERRY COOK AND SHARE|website=maryberry.co.uk|accessdate=26 September 2022|archive-date=26 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926085757/https://www.maryberry.co.uk/news/new-tv-series-starts-today-7th-september-mary-berry-cook-and-share#:~:text=*NEW*%20TV%20series%20starts%20today%20%2D%20Mary%20Berry%20Cook%20and%20Share&text=BBC2%2C%20Wednesday%207th%20September%2C%208pm,6%20x%2030%20mins%20episodes.|url-status=live}}

In September 2022, the BBC commissioned Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas, a Christmas special that Berry presented.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/mary-berry-ultimate-christmas|title=BBC One and PBS celebrate Dame Merry Berry's ultimate Christmas|website=bbc.co.uk/mediacentre|accessdate=26 September 2022|archive-date=27 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927090537/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/mary-berry-ultimate-christmas|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/mary-berrys-ultimate-christmas-2|title=Get ready for the festive season with Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas|website=bbc.co.uk/mediacentre|accessdate=3 November 2022|archive-date=2 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102192625/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/mary-berrys-ultimate-christmas-2|url-status=live}}

During November and December 2023, Berry presented Mary Makes It Easy; a six-part series that aired on BBC Two.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/m001s1qz/episodes|title=Mary Makes It Easy|website=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=5 December 2023|archive-date=5 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205183715/https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/m001s1qz/episodes|url-status=live}} In December 2023, BBC One aired Mary Berry's Highland Christmas; a festive cookery special presented by Berry.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/mary-berry-highlands-christmas|title=Mary Berry serves up Scottish Highland Christmas memories with Andy Murray, Emeli Sandé and Iain Stirling|website=bbc.co.uk/mediacentre|accessdate=5 December 2023|archive-date=5 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205184631/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/mary-berry-highlands-christmas|url-status=live}}

In July 2024 the BBC commissioned the six-part series Mary's Foolproof Dinners.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/mary-berrys-foolproof-dinners|title=Dame Mary Berry makes evening meals effortless with Foolproof Dinners|website=bbc.co.uk/mediacentre|date=31 July 2024|accessdate=1 August 2024|archive-date=1 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801064212/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/mary-berrys-foolproof-dinners|url-status=live}} > It aired later in the year on BBC Two{{cn|date=March 2025}} and was accompanied by a book of the same name, that includes 120 new recipes from the series and from Mary Berry's Highland Christmas.{{Cite web |title=Mary Berry |url=https://www.maryberry.co.uk/news/new-marys-foolproof-dinners-published-today-10th-october |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Mary Berry}}

Mary Makes Christmas, a one-off festive television special aired in December 2024 on BBC1.{{cite web|url=https://www.maryberry.co.uk/news/mary-makes-christmas|title=Mary Makes Christmas|website=maryberry.co.uk|date=3 December 2024|accessdate=6 December 2024}}

On 24 March 2025 a special live edition of BBC's The One Show featured Berry for a celebration of her 90th birthday.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-24 |title=Dame Mary Berry moved to tears by William's 90th birthday wishes |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyezz8zqe7o |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

=''The Great British Bake Off''=

File:Paul Hollywood Mary Berry CI London 13.jpg at Cake International London 2013]]

From 2010 to 2016, Berry was one of the judges on BBC One's (formerly, BBC Two's) The Great British Bake Off alongside baker Paul Hollywood, who specialises in bread. Berry says that since working together, she has learned from him. However, some viewers were outraged during the first series when a decision was made to make the contestants use one of Hollywood's recipes for scones instead of one of Berry's.

Berry's work on the show with Hollywood led to The Guardian's suggesting that it was the "best reality TV judging partnership ever."{{cite news|last=Heritage|first=Stuart|title=Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood: the best reality TV judges ever?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/sep/07/berry-hollywood-bake-off-judges|access-date=31 March 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 September 2011|location=London|archive-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415184248/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/sep/07/berry-hollywood-bake-off-judges|url-status=live}} In September 2016, Love Productions announced that a three-year deal to broadcast the show on Channel 4 instead of the BBC from 2017 had been agreed.{{cite news|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/12/bbc-loses-great-british-bake-off/|title = BBC loses Great British Bake Off, as Channel 4 swoops for corporation's biggest show|last = Foster|first = Patrick|date = 12 September 2016|newspaper = The Daily Telegraph|access-date = 12 September 2016|archive-date = 24 November 2023|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231124144736/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/12/bbc-loses-great-british-bake-off/|url-status = live}} Co-hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins announced that they would not be continuing with Bake Off on its new network.{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37355065|title = Great British Bake Off: Mel and Sue to quit as hosts|date = 13 September 2016|work = BBC News|access-date = 13 September 2016|archive-date = 13 September 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160913160017/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37355065|url-status = live}} Berry announced she was also leaving Bake Off{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37437907|title = Mary Berry to leave Bake Off ahead of Channel 4 move|date = 22 September 2016|work = BBC News|access-date = 22 September 2016|archive-date = 22 September 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160922094529/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37437907|url-status = live}} on the same day that fellow judge Paul Hollywood announced he would be staying with the show.{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/sep/22/mary-berry-leave-great-british-bake-off-paul-hollywood-bbc-mel-giedroyc-sue-perkins|title = Mary Berry to leave Bake Off – but Paul Hollywood agrees to stay|first = Jane|last = Martinson|date = 22 September 2016|access-date = 23 September 2016|newspaper = The Guardian}} She was replaced on the show by Prue Leith.

The Platinum Pudding Competition

In January 2022, it was announced that Berry would chair and sit as a judge on The Platinum Pudding Competition, a nationwide baking competition launched throughout the United Kingdom on 10 January 2022 by Buckingham Palace, Fortnum & Mason and The Big Jubilee Lunch. The competition sought a new pudding dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II as part of the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 marking the 70th anniversary of her accession on 6 February 1952.{{Cite web|title=The Platinum Pudding Competition {{!}} A Recipe Fit for The Queen|url=https://www.fortnumandmason.com/platinum-pudding|access-date=2022-01-27|website=www.fortnumandmason.com|language=en|archive-date=27 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127151113/https://www.fortnumandmason.com/platinum-pudding|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Emma.Goodey|date=2021-06-01|title=Plans announced for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend 2022|url=https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend|access-date=2022-01-27|website=The Royal Family|language=en|archive-date=13 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013083837/https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022|url=https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022|language=en-GB|archive-date=18 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418042025/https://www.platinumjubilee.gov.uk/|url-status=live}}

Personal life

Berry married Paul John March Hunnings in 1966.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a45355/great-british-bake-off-mary-berry-facts/|title=15 things you didn't know about GBBO's Mary Berry|date=22 September 2016|website=Cosmopolitan}} He worked for Harvey's of Bristol, selling antique books, and is now retired. The couple had two sons and a daughter; in 1989, one of their sons died aged 19, in a car accident.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/mary-berry-opens-up-to-piers-morgan-about-the-car-crash-that-killed-her-19-year-old-son-9047388.html|title=Mary Berry opens up to Piers Morgan about the car crash that killed|date=9 January 2014|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=11 November 2016|archive-date=29 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729110005/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/mary-berry-opens-up-to-piers-morgan-about-the-car-crash-that-killed-her-19-year-old-son-9047388.html|url-status=live}} In 2011, Berry's mother Marjorie died, aged 105.{{cite web | url=https://www.yours.co.uk/leisure/celebrity-tv/mary-berry-recipes/ | title=Our favourite Mary Berry recipes, plus more about the queen of baking | date=14 September 2023 | access-date=11 March 2024 | archive-date=11 March 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311083520/https://www.yours.co.uk/leisure/celebrity-tv/mary-berry-recipes/ | url-status=live }}

In March 2013, Berry was placed second in a list of the fifty best-dressed over 50s by The Guardian.{{cite news|title=The 50 best-dressed over 50s|url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/gallery/2013/mar/29/50-best-dressed-over-50s|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|first1=Jess|last1=Cartner-Morley|first2=Helen|last2=Mirren|first3=Arianna|last3=Huffington|first4=Valerie|last4=Amos|date=28 March 2013|archive-date=23 June 2018|access-date=12 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623221843/https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/gallery/2013/mar/29/50-best-dressed-over-50s|url-status=live}} In September 2014, Berry was the subject of an episode of the BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? and discovered among her ancestors illegitimacy, bankruptcy and a baker.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04hc5s5|title=BBC One — Who Do You Think You Are?, Series 11, Mary Berry|publisher=BBC|access-date=13 September 2014}}

In 2018 Berry and her husband moved to Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.{{Cite web |title=My beautiful new home town |url=http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/events/127291/my-beautiful-new-home-town.html |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=www.henleystandard.co.uk |date=21 June 2018 |language=en |archive-date=18 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418022730/https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/events/127291/my-beautiful-new-home-town.html |url-status=live }} The couple had previously lived in Penn, Buckinghamshire for more than 40 years.{{cite web |last1=Magnus |first1=Emma |title=Mary Berry's former Buckinghamshire home on sale for £3.5 million |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/celebrity-homes/mary-berrys-former-buckinghamshire-home-watercroft-on-sale-ps3-5-million-b1118551.html |website=Evening Standard |date=7 November 2023 |access-date=18 November 2023 |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118123917/https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/celebrity-homes/mary-berrys-former-buckinghamshire-home-watercroft-on-sale-ps3-5-million-b1118551.html |url-status=live }}

Berry is a member of the Church of England and has worshipped at Holy Trinity Church in Penn since 1989.{{Cite web |first=Mary |last=Berry |url=http://www.favouritechurches.org.uk/mary-berry |title=UK Favourite Churches |date=2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721100535/http://www.favouritechurches.org.uk/mary-berry |archive-date=2013-07-21}} Her mother, who died in 2011, had also been an active church member. As part of the BBC Two programme Mary Berry's Easter Feast at Easter 2016, Berry visited Bishopthorpe Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of York, who is the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, and filmed a special "Cooking with the Archbishop" segment.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-22 |title=BBC Two - Mary Berry's Easter Feast, Episode 2, Cooking with the Archbishop of York |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03npvnk |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=BBC |language=en-GB |archive-date=30 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330181755/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03npvnk |url-status=live }}

Berry is a patron of Child Bereavement UK.{{cite web |date=October 2016 |title=Child Bereavement UK :: Patrons |url=https://childbereavementuk.org/about-us/our-people/patrons/ |access-date=25 January 2018 |publisher=childbereavementuk.org |archive-date=3 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803223921/https://childbereavementuk.org/about-us/our-people/patrons/ |url-status=live }}

Publications

{{Library resources box|by=yes|lcheading= Berry, Mary, 1935–}}

{{Main|Mary Berry bibliography}}

Berry has written more than 70 cookery books since her first book was published in 1970,{{Cite web |title=Mary Berry recipes |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/mary_berry |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=BBC Food |language=en |archive-date=16 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116133303/https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/mary_berry |url-status=live }} and has sold over five million copies. She regularly works on her cookery books with Lucy Young, who has been her assistant for over 20 years.{{cite news|title=Cook up a feast|url=http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1986684|access-date=31 March 2012|newspaper=The Press and Journal|date=18 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215060300/http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1986684|archive-date=15 December 2013}} Her best-selling Baking Bible was rated one of the ten best baking books by The Independent.{{cite news|last1=Bailey|first1=Pippa|title=10 best baking books|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/food-drink/10-best-baking-books-9268231.html|access-date=6 February 2016|work=The Independent|date=17 April 2014|archive-date=6 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206182547/http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/food-drink/10-best-baking-books-9268231.html|url-status=live}}

Since September 2014, Berry's recipes have also been packaged in an interactive mobile app called "Mary Berry: In Mary We Trust".{{cite web|title=Mary Berry: In Mary We Trust|url=http://appshopper.com/food-drink/mary-berry|publisher=App Shopper|access-date=8 October 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031907/http://appshopper.com/food-drink/mary-berry|url-status=live}}

Her autobiography, Recipe for Life, was published in 2013 by Michael Joseph.

Honours and awards

In June 2009, Berry was awarded the Guild of Food Writers Lifetime Achievement Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/mary_berry/a-z/f/1|access-date=30 August 2020|title=Mary Berry|archive-date=5 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405232930/https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/mary_berry/a-z/f/1|url-status=live}}

Berry was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to culinary arts.{{London Gazette|issue=60173 |supp=y|page=7|date=16 June 2012}}{{cite news|title=Mary Berry receives CBE|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/16/queens-birthday-honours-cbe | location=London | work=The Guardian|date=16 June 2012}}

In 2012, she was awarded an honorary degree by Bath Spa University which incorporates the former Bath College of Domestic Science.{{cite web|title=Bath Spa University announces honorary degrees for 2012|url=http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/about/news/default.asp?article=1004|publisher=Bath Spa University|access-date=20 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120705045751/http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/about/news/default.asp?article=1004|archive-date=5 July 2012}}

On 7 June 2014, Berry was awarded the Freedom of the City of Bath;{{cite news|last=Prideaux|first=Siobhan|title=Bath choir prepares twist on classic song for Mary Berry's visit to the city|url=http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-choir-prepares-twist-classic-song-Mary-Berry/story-21127575-detail/story.html|newspaper=The Bath Chronicle|access-date=22 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522180420/http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-choir-prepares-twist-classic-song-Mary-Berry/story-21127575-detail/story.html|archive-date=22 May 2014}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-27746293 |title=BBC News – Mary Berry awarded freedom of Bath during Abbey ceremony |work=BBC News |date=7 June 2014 |access-date=9 June 2014 |archive-date=9 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140609073455/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-27746293 |url-status=live }} and, having already received the Freedom of the City of London, on 19 November 2014, she was made a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers.{{Cite news|last=Kidd|first=Patrick|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-times-diary-tms-challenge-for-smart-women-hames-household-divided-kasabians-gig-rider-and-dylans-five-line-epic-glfzkmplnpk|title=The Times Diary (TMS): Challenge for smart women, Hames household divided, Kasabian's gig rider and Dylan's five line epic|date=20 November 2014|work=The Times|access-date=27 February 2020|page=11|language=en|issn=0140-0460|archive-date=27 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227085513/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-times-diary-tms-challenge-for-smart-women-hames-household-divided-kasabians-gig-rider-and-dylans-five-line-epic-glfzkmplnpk|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}

She was awarded the Specsavers National Book Awards "Outstanding Achievement" prize in December 2014.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/27/david-nicholls-david-walliams-win-top-prizes-national-book-awards |title=David Nicholls and David Walliams win top prizes at National Book Awards |work=The Guardian |first=Alison |last=Flood |date=27 November 2014 |access-date=14 March 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095044/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/27/david-nicholls-david-walliams-win-top-prizes-national-book-awards |url-status=live }}

On 25 January 2017, Berry won the award for Best TV Judge at the National Television Awards for Great British Bake Off.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-01-25/mary-berry-wins-best-tv-judge-at-the-national-television-awards|title=Mary Berry wins Best TV Judge at the National Television Awards|first=Elanor|last=Griffiths|date=25 January 2017|access-date=12 May 2017|magazine=Radio Times|archive-date=22 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422073852/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-01-25/mary-berry-wins-best-tv-judge-at-the-national-television-awards|url-status=live}}

Berry was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting, the culinary arts and charity.{{London Gazette|issue=63135|supp=y|page=B8|date=10 October 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54468492|title=Birthday Honours 2020: Marcus Rashford and Joe Wicks honoured alongside key workers|date=10 October 2020|work=BBC News|access-date=20 October 2021|archive-date=12 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012234839/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54468492|url-status=live}} She received the honour on 20 October 2021 at Windsor Castle.{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Tony|date=20 October 2021|title=Mary Berry made Dame Commander by Prince Charles for a lifetime of cooking, writing and baking|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/mary-berry-honoured-dame-commander-windsor-castle-investiture-b961404.html|work=Evening Standard|access-date=20 October 2021|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020061854/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/mary-berry-honoured-dame-commander-windsor-castle-investiture-b961404.html|url-status=live}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{Official website|www.maryberry.co.uk}}
  • {{IMDb name|2915364|Mary Berry}}
  • {{Internet Archive author |sname= Mary Berry}}

{{English cuisine}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Mary}}

Category:1935 births

Category:Alumni of Le Cordon Bleu

Category:Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Category:English autobiographers

Category:British food writers

Category:British television personalities

Category:Living people

Category:People_educated_at_the_Royal_School_for_Daughters_of_Officers_of_the_Army

Category:People educated at Bath High School for Girls

Category:Writers from Bath, Somerset

Category:Mass media people from Bath, Somerset

Category:British Anglicans

Category:English cookbook writers

Category:English women food writers

Category:BBC television presenters

Category:Television personalities from Somerset

Category:English women autobiographers

Category:English chefs

Category:English women chefs

Category:English people of Scottish descent

Category:British Book Award winners