10 Reasons The Great British Bake Off Is A Slice Of British Brilliance

9. Mary Berry

Bake Off Mel Sue
BBC

The coolest pensioner we know, Mary Berry started filming for GBBO when she was 74, and she's now got the whole of the British public wishing they had an extra Granny. Radio 1 DJ Greg James affectionately calls her Mez Bez and ensures his listeners keep an eye out for the 'laaaaaaaaayers' she talks of throughout the

show. Pastry week was an obvious highlight. She's the most fashion forward presenter on the show; after episodes of the Bake Off aired the components of her outfits sold out in stores like Zara and Marks & Spencer nationwide. Not only is Mary Berry up to date in the fashion world, she's a massive TV fan too – recently admitting to watching box sets of Breaking Bad with Mel and Sue during breaks from filming.

She's a great presenting partner for Paul Hollywood, offering words of support when it's obvious that contestants are having a tough time. She's not afraid to challenge him though – he's not dared to fight back yet and they've never argued so it seems the dynamic's working pretty well for the Bake Off. Berry's getting rid of Hollywood and going it alone in a new BBC series set to air later this year, kicking ageism in the teeth and proving she can bake as well as ever.

Contributor
Contributor

I have a pet hedgehog, I like to bake and I do science for a job.