I had strokes of genius and strokes of absolute disaster
The TV star is a regular on our screens after shooting to fame as a model. This week she’ll be back on the box in the Bake Off tent, in the last episode of the Stand Up to Cancer charity special. Kelly tells us how she got on...
What do you like watching on television?
I’m a massive Netflix fan and I’ve fallen in love with the cast and characters of Cheer, the show about cheerleaders. I’ve also been catching up with The Affair on Sky Atlantic. My next box-set binge is going to be Glitch.
Who do you watch with?
My partner Jeremy (Parisi – a French model) and I pick something and then watch an episode of it every night. It’s a bit of a wind down – get home from work, have a bit of dinner, watch an episode of something and then go to bed. It’s our little thing.
Do you have a TV hero?
At the moment it’s Jennifer Aniston. Her performance in The Morning Show was phenomenal. And she won all the awards, so I think everyone thinks the same.
You’re on this week’s Bake Off. Did you jump at the chance?
Yes. It’s one of my favourite shows. When you first see the tent you’re really starstruck. But then it dawns on you that you don’t get any help. They give you a kitchen that you’ve never been in before and say, ‘Do what you want’. You feel under so much pressure because, ultimately, no matter how bad it is, you’ve got to produce something.
How did you get on?
I tried a cake I’d never really baked before. I found that quite challenging. Some people l go in and say, ‘My grandmother gave me this recipe’. And I said, ‘I’m just making it up as I go along!’ I had strokes of genius, and then strokes of absolute disaster.
What did Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood make of your efforts?
Prue’s such a sweetheart. She’s so encouraging and gives lots of advice. Paul is terrifying. He gives you a look as if to say, ‘You’re about to make the biggest mistake ever’. So he’s definitely the bad guy but all you want is to be awarded Star Baker, or get a Hollywood Handshake.
What do you like to get up to on a day off?
My perfect day is driving out of London into the countryside, going to the pub for a roast and a walk in the fresh air. Being with my partner Jeremy and having a nice romantic day together is just the dream.
Have you left your party side behind then?
I don’t go partying any more. That was a phase I went through – I even ended up having my own nightclub. But not now, I no longer go partying. We go out for dinner. My radio show keeps me very disciplined, and on the straight and narrow. l The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer is on Tuesday, Channel 4, 8pm.