'Paul Hollywood needs handling': Mary Berry offers her verdict on 'glamorous' Nigella Lawson

Mary Berry made the nation fall in love with The Great British Bake Off and even though she’s not been a part of the series for 10 years, she still keeps a watchful eye.

And the good news is she has nothing but praise for the new guard, including Nigella Lawson, who joined this year, replacing Prue Leith after nine years. Dame Mary has credited Nigella as being a "great joy" who’s brought "new life" to the long-running show.

It’s not just Nigella’s glamour that Mary appreciates, though. She knows that the legendary cook and author is more than up to the task of "handling" Paul Hollywood.

While appearing at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in early October, Mary said, "Bake Off is a wonderful format. We started it off not knowing what we were doing, and after that Prue was doing it.

"I’m delighted Nigella is there. She’s got to keep control of a certain person. Paul needs handling.”

She added that there’s one thing in particular she admires that Nigella does - and it’s something she would be mindful of herself. She explained, "Nigella has brought glamour to it, and she also really likes tasting, doesn’t she?

"I know how she feels because I always took a proper mouthful. If you take just a little bit, the person whose food you’re tasting, their auntie will say, ‘Well, she didn’t even taste it properly.’ I was aware of that.

"I think Nigella is a great joy and she’s brought new life. I think it’ll do really well. She’s doing great."

Dame Mary, along with Paul Hollywood, was part of the original line-up when The Great British Bake Off became a surprise ratings hit after its launch in 2010. Mary stayed with the series throughout its original six-year run on the BBC, choosing to depart when it moved to Channel 4 in 2016.

Mary wasn’t the only one to leave when it made the switch. The show’s original presenters, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins also left. Dame Prue Leith was brought in to replace Mary as a judge, and Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding replaced Mel and Sue.

This year, the 17th series - which you can watch from anywhere if you’re hoping to catch up - is presented by Noel and Alison Hammond, who joined in 2023.

Mary might not be on Bake Off anymore, but she’s keeping just as busy as ever. She was at the festival to promote her first ever gardening book, My Gardening Life.

Speaking of her second great love after baking, she shared, "Gardening is similar to cooking - you follow a formula. But with cooking you can follow a recipe and produce it by tonight. Gardening, you have to be much more patient."

And speaking of patience, Mary let slip that the garden is what helps her keep her cool - not that many could imagine the icon ever losing her cool. She joked, "I’m certainly not zen but I try to be reasonably calm.

"I never shout. If my husband or children are annoying me, I just open the back door and go in the garden. A bit of deadheading, you come back, all is normal."