Dame Mary Berry has been honoured with one of television's most prestigious awards, receiving the BAFTA Fellowship for her exceptional contribution to television. The cooking icon, now 91, was presented with the British Academy's highest honour during a ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall.
Nostalgic Reflections on Her Career
Former Great British Bake Off presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins handed Mary the award, as the star jokingly credited them with leading her astray from day one. Mary has a remarkable television career spanning over five decades, and she expressed being overwhelmed by her iconic status in the UK.
She told the audience: "I'm really bowled over by this accolade. I'm a cook, I'm a teacher, so I feel very honoured to be given Bafta's highest award." Reflecting on her life journey, she shared: "It seems no time ago when I left Bath High School with two O-levels in needlework and cookery."
Mary recalled her domestic science teacher, Ms. Date, who set her on her way. She also praised the BBC, saying, "Television wasn't part of my childhood. We had our first black-and-white TV when I was 10. One channel: the BBC of course, and it's been my home for so many of my TV adventures over the years. It is the broadcaster that we must cherish."
Early Television Beginnings
Mary revealed that her first programme was filmed more than half a century ago: "My first programme was on Collector's World, filmed in Bristol at the Georgia House in 1971. I cooked a cow's udder pie, and you don't forget that one." After those early days, she fronted many cookery programmes, including Foolproof Cooking and A Very Royal Christmas, and published several bestselling recipe books.
Her popularity soared when she joined The Great British Bake Off as a judge between 2010 and 2016. She joked about an unexpected challenge: "Bake Off came along and my whole world changed. I knew my baking inside out but I had to start thinking of what I was going to wear. It was all about the jackets, mainly because I could tuck a hot water bottle underneath because the tent was so chilly in the morning."
Teaching Through Television
Looking back on her decades in broadcasting, Mary described television as the perfect platform for sharing her passion for food. She added: "I see myself as a teacher and television is the best and the biggest classroom that there is. It's a great place to share what I love best. I've had such fun."
The queen of baking proudly announced that she is still learning new things after 50 years in the industry and has no plans to slow down. With a smile, she said: "So what's next for me, at the age of 91? I have just started my own YouTube channel. We shall see."
Personal Tributes and Legacy
Mary concluded her speech by thanking her husband and two living children, and paid tribute to her late son William, who died in a car accident in 1989 at the age of 19. The BAFTA Fellowship places Mary among respected figures such as Kirsty Wark, Sir Billy Connolly, Dame Joanna Lumley, and Sir David Attenborough.
