Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets

Season 1 BBC Lifestyle (*174) 21:00 Lifestyle

Baking queen Mary Berry’s love for historical British estates gave birth to her new four-part series Country House Secrets in 2017 but it’s still all about the kitchen for the 83-year-old Mary. “My husband Paul and I used to visit estates and I always wondered what went on behind closed doors, who lives there, what happens in the kitchens. My new series is sort of a doccie featuring some of the most beautiful estates in Britain, where I find out more about the families who stay there and cook scrumptious meals in the old kitchens.”

Mary had polio when she was 13 1

and spent three months in hospital in 1948 because of the condition, which left her with a twisted spine and weaker left hand.

She had a special visitor while she 2

was stuck in hospital – her pony Kerry Lass, who was brought into the building by her dad Alleyne William.

Until the age of 15, Mary was a 3

tomboy but that changed when she took home economics as a subject. “It changed my life forever. It gave me my first taste of baking,” says Mary. “The first cake I made was a Victoria sponge cake, which is still my favourite.”

She’s published over 75 cookbooks 4

but her business empire suffered a setback earlier this year after her range of salad dressings was recalled for containing unlisted ingredients. She’s run the business Mary Berry’s Dressings since 1994 with her daughter Annabel.

So what does a fancy baker like 5

Mary enjoy eating? “Boiled egg with toast and a slice of pizza.”