Mary Berry has confirmed she’ll work with Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc on a new show following the trio’s decision to bow out of the ‘Great British Bake Off’.
The 81-year-old culinary queen broke hearts across the country earlier this month when she announced she was leaving the cooking show a few days after the hosting duo revealed they were walking away as well, but she has admitted, although they’ve all decided to quit the series, they’re planning to team up on a new programme next year.
Speaking on ‘The Chris Evans Breakfast Show’ on BBC Radio 2, she said: "We will do something because we’re good pals, and who knows what it would be? We haven’t been approached yet, but we would love to do something together. I love their humour."
Although the threesome are yet to sign up to their next project, it’s believed bosses at the BBC are hoping to get them on board their forthcoming culinary programme, which has the working title ‘The Big Family Cooking Challenge’, for the beginning of 2017.
BBC’s Acting Head of Formats and Features, Donna Clark, said: "I’m thrilled to be taking food competitions in a different direction. A passion for food starts in the family kitchen and this format will take us into homes up and down the country, where we’ll meet Britain’s most passionate and exciting families of cooks."
The upcoming series will follow a number of families from different generations as they go head-to-head to be crowned the nation’s best home chefs.
Across the series, a group of judges will visit the homes of the contestants to sample their mouth-watering menus and whittle down the participants in a bid to find the best dish.
Mary announced she was leaving her judging role behind after she found out that the ‘GBBO’ was moving across to Channel 4 after they outbid the BBC, which has screened the show since 2010, to the rights in a deal worth an estimated £75 million.
Mary said: "It was a gut feeling. It was gut feeling and I made it straight away to myself, having discussed it with my family and others. I’m really happy I’ve stayed with the BBC. Everything I’ve ever done really has been with the BBC and I wanted to be with them."
However, not everyone is staying with the BBC as Mary’s co-judge Paul Hollywood has decided to follow the show over to Channel 4 when it makes its switch later this year.
Mary Berry will work with Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc on new show
