Mary Berry questioned if she would take on a judging role again after leaving ‘The Great British Bake Off’.
The 83-year-old food writer judged the baking show for seven years, before it moved to Channel 4 along with fellow judge Paul Hollywood, and so she had to think hard about taking on another judging role for her new BBC show ‘Britain’s Best Home Cook’.
She said: "I love judging because by now I know what I’m about – but I really wanted to do it well. I asked myself if I was doing the right thing and I realised this person on my left [Claudia] would be roaring with laughter and making it all very relaxed. The bonus point for me was having her."
However, on this show, Mary isn’t going to be giving out points for gourmet details and presentation.
She told the Radio Times magazine: "There’s no froth. None of this stacked food. No layer upon layer and a drizzle on the top. Our contestants don’t want to be professional chefs. The most important thing about a show like this is sincerity, it must be genuine. My aim is to get everybody in Britain cooking at home."
Whilst her co-host Claudia Winkleman added: "It’s a proper celebration of home cooking. Nobody’s making a jus. Nobody’s making a timbale."
And Mary is keen to promote home cooking on the show as she believes sitting down to a good meal is vital to a happy family life.
She explained: "If you sit down and feed your family round the table, they’ll talk to you. Children tell you all sorts of things when they’re happy and full and everyone is together – it makes them ready to chat."
Mary Berry worried about judging again
