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14 Things We Will Miss About Mary Berry On The Great British Bakeoff

Heather Taylor
This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at St Andrews chapter.

By now I’m sure you will all know that The Great British Bake Off is Changing, and People Are Pissed. If you are as much of a Bakeoff fan as I am, the most devastating part is that Mary Berry is quitting the show. 

There is a lot of uncertainty regarding who might replace her next season, with rumours including the pastry chef, Cherish Finden or Australian cook, Dan Lepard.  One thing is for certain, the show is certainly never going to be the same again without Mary Berry.  

1. Her frequent use of innuendo 

Thanks to Mary’s cheeky sense of humour, the show has become just as well known for its naughty innuendoes as it has for its baked goods.

2. The times she put Paul Hollywood in his place 

Mary Berry is certainly not afraid to put Paul Hollywood in his place when she thinks he is misbehaving. From calling him out for his overly critical comments towards contestants, to scolding him for having the audacity to dunk a jaffa cake in his tea, Mary has had to tell him off a lot. For some reason, I doubt that the new judge will be able to stand up to him just like she did. 

3. Her love of boozy bakes

It is no secret that Mary Berry loves the prospect of a cake made with alcohol. Despite the fact that she ended up being disappointed by Tom’s Gin and Tonic Drizzle Cake (there wasn’t enough gin apparently) I think she would be impressed with a Chocolate Gin Babka or a Raspberry & Gin Cheesecake. Continuing on the theme of alcohol, if Gin doesn’t tickle your fancy, why not try these Boozy Bailey’s Mint Chocolate Chip Pancakes. 

4. Her love of booze in general, tbh

Instead of putting booze into their baking, some contestants serve their cakes with a drink on the side. While I’m not sure whether this technique gives them a better chance of winning, it sure is funny to watch Paul and Mary getting tipsy while working. (As long as they don’t end up like the Cake Boss, who was arrested for drunk driving.)

5. Her hilarious facial expressions 

Mary can never hide how she feels. Whether she loves or loathes the sound of a particular recipe, her facial expressions totally give away what she is thinking. 

6. Her fantastic sense of style 

At the age of 81, Mary Berry is a trend setter. The fabulous jackets, shirts and chunky necklaces that she is known for routinely sell-out after she wears them on television. It is going to be hard to find a replacement judge with such a good sense of style. 

7. When she gives a compliment, she really means it  

Mary first started a cookery show back in the 1970’s, so you could definitely say she is an expert when it comes to cooking and baking. A compliment from such an experienced baker like Mary  would obviously be a huge achievement.

8. Occasionally she gets a little bit excited 

Another reason that Mary is so loveable is the fact that sometimes she gets super excited about a really amazing cake, or a pie with no soggy bottom. To be honest, if my job was tasting cakes all day long, I think I would be pretty excited about that too. 

9. The fact she is just so damn quotable 

We have already mentioned Mary’s love of innuendo, but I really feel it is worth mentioning again just how quotable she is. My favourites include life advice such as, ‘Cakes are healthy too, you just eat a thin slice‘ and ‘If you’re feeling a little down, a bit of kneading really helps.’

10. Her terrifying stare of disapproval

Clearly, traditionalist Mary does not like the sound of a cake made with quinoa flour.  However, I think that these delicious 3-Ingredient Chocolate Quinoa Squares or some Maple Quinoa Pancakes would receive her seal of approval.

11. Her gently constructive criticism  

 

Unlike fellow judge Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry doesn’t like being overly harsh. While she does expect very high standards, she always tries to let a contestant down gently if their cake just isn’t quite up to scratch. 

12. Her cheeky wink

Mary’s cheeky wink just makes her seem even more adorable. With that naughty glint in her eye and her fun sense of humour, you could definitely imagine her getting up to some mischief with her grandchildren. To read more about why Mary Berry would be the best grandma ever, click here.

13. She is the embodiment of the true spirit of the Great British Bakeoff

At the end of the day, Mary knows what the true spirit of the bakeoff is –  to work hard, try your best, and most importantly enjoy yourself.  It sounds corny, but it is taking part, not winning that matters. 

14. The fact that she clearly loves being a judge

Mary obviously loves her job as a judge on the show, which makes it even more heartbreaking that she has decided to quit. If you can’t bear the thought of the Great British Bakeoff without Mary Berry, you can always try watching one of these TV Shows That Every Foodie Will Love instead.

Heather Taylor

St Andrews '18