I’ve only baked once before. It’s unlikely I ever will again
As celebrity bakers take to the tent for Stand Up To Cancer, Countdown’s Nick Hewer considers his chances of winning
AHOST of famous faces will be raising dough for charity as The Great Celebrity Bake Off starts next week.
Regular hosts Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding will be back in the familiar tent in aid of Stand Up to Cancer, the joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.
Over the next five weeks, the famous bakers will include a big helping of comedians with Lee Mack, Tim Minchin, Joe Lycett, Alan Carr, Griff Rhys Jones and Aisling Bea and a sprinkling of TV presenters, including Stacey Solomon, Nick Hewer and Melanie Sykes. Sport and politics are represented by double Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox and Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Ruth Davidson respectively, while Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, Diversity’s Perri Kiely and singer Ella Eyre will also be trying to avoid a soggy bottom.
There’s even a US star in the shape of former Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher.
The first famous faces to grab their mixing bowls are Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp, actor and writer Roisin Conaty, veteran broadcaster Bill Turnbull and comedian Harry Hill, who will hopefully get a chance to do one of his trademark looks to camera if a double entendre should arise.
Their first challenge is a bake sale classic – cupcakes, which in theory should ease them in gently. But then the competition intensifies with a fiery technical, followed by a demanding showstopper that involves recreating the best day of their lives as a threedimensional biscuit scene. But which of the first batch will impress Prue and Paul Hollywood and walk away as Star Baker? Here The Apprentice and Countdown star Nick Hewer, 74, explains why he’s taking part: Can you bake? I’VE just proved I can bake because I’ve just baked something exquisite in the tent… it was over-cooked. But it tasted very nice. I was amazed at how well it turned out and the colour was good but apparently it was over-baked which was a bitter blow, a bitter pill to swallow. Are you GBBO fan? I AM. Who wouldn’t be if they’ve seen it?!
I wasn’t a devotee until now, but in future I shall be because I think it’s great. It’s all about love. Who taught you to bake? Or are you self-taught? I’VE only baked once before in my life and it’s unlikely that I’ll ever bake again. However, I’m doing it for Stand Up To Cancer which is very important to me.
I was taught by Rita from the village who came and gave me a lesson. What is your signature bake? Where did you get the recipe? MY first bake was savoury with a blend of two cheeses, very different, one was a Wiltshire cheese called Winchester and the other one Emmental so I introduced Wiltshire to Switzerland first. They got on just great. Who do you want to impress the most? Paul or Prue? IT’S a tough question, I think probably on a dull day I want to impress Prue but on a sunny day I want to impress Paul. Who do you think is your biggest competition in the tent? I THINK if it isn’t that Stacey then I think it’s probably either Perri or Ricky. So everyone. What is your strength; decorations, crumb or the flavours? MY greatest strength probably is religiously following the recipe, and although some would say I’m quite creative when it comes to baking, I think I’m out of my depth here. Are you more likely to get a Hollywood handshake or a soggy bottom? I DESERVED a handshake on the signature challenge. It’s difficult, I’d like to think that somewhere along the line a might get a little nod.
Handshakes are very difficult to earn I think. Why are you supporting Stand Up To Cancer? I’M A patron of a cancer charity called Pancreatic Cancer Action, a small charity.
Pancreatic cancer is very tough, by the time the symptoms become obvious and it’s diagnosed it’s often too late. So we’re trying to get investment to research ways of getting an earlier diagnosis when there is a chance you can stop it.
Many cancers have been very successfully delayed but that’s not the case for pancreatic and Stand Up To Cancer has got under its umbrella pancreatic cancer, as something they really want to address, so that’s why I’m in. Are you competitive? Do you want to get Star Baker? I’M NOT particularly competitive. I’d like to be Star Baker but I’m very happy for the best person to win.
I’m not one of these ego maniacs that wants to win everything. I think it’s all in the spirit of Bake Off, we’re all in it together. If you were baked goods what would you be? I’D BE a date cake because you never know who you might end up with.