Davidson: ‘I did Bake Off because of death of partner’s mother’
Scottish Tory leader says she was not paid a fee for taking part in charity show
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has said the death of her partner’s mother from cancer was behind her decision to star on a charity edition of the Great British Bake Off.
The MSP also revealed details of the some of the bakes she and her fellow celebrities, including American actress Teri Hatcher and comedian Alan Carr, were asked to tackle on The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off which is raising money for cancer research.
She called in to a radio show to speak about her time on the TV baking challenge after hearing them discuss her inclusion in the line-up for the show which airs on Channel 4 next month.
She said: “My partner lost her mum to cancer when she was 14 so we do quite a lot between us for cancer charities and when they phoned and asked if I would do this, honestly, I didn’t have to be asked twice.”
She stressed that she was not paid a fee for the programme which was filmed while the Scottish Parliament was on recess in October, after being questioned by the Forth One presenters on the row surrounding former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale’s paid appearance on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
“It’s properly good fun and some of the celebrities that are in there, I’m not sure – like myself – if they’ve seen one side of a spatula from the other either,” Ms Davidson said.
Asked if she was a “domesticated goddess”, she replied: “I wouldn’t quite say that. I’m quite good at cooking - I don’t have much time for baking so it was all a little bit new to me. I have to say I was pretty nervous.”
She added: “As someone that’s a bit of a fan of Bake Off I had a little moment to myself, I’m not going to lie.” Requested to reveal what she baked, the politician said: “I’m not sure if I’m allowed...i had to do a big meringue tower and then had to do a loaf bake and the technical was a mystery bake.
“It’s definitely worth watching the episode because I’m not sure anyone baked anything you would put in your mouth.”
Other confirmed contestants on the five-episode challenge include comedians Tim Minchin, Aisling Bea, Roisin Conaty, Lee Mack, Joe Lycett, Griff Rhys Jones and Harry Hill, TV presenters Stacey Solomon, Melanie Sykes and Bill Turnbull, and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson.
Also taking part are Countdown host Nick Hewer, actor Martin Kemp, Made In Chelsea‘s Jamie Laing, singer Ella Eyre, Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox and Diversity dancer Perri Kiely. Ms Davidson was previously a guest on the baking show’s spin-off, An Extra Slice. Appearing alongside former Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussain, comedian Tom Allen and presenter Jo Brand last October, she critiqued the 2016 contestants’ semi-final performances.