It’s Mary Christmas everybody!
FORMER The Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry has spoken about the fun she had in the Rhondda while filming a BBC Christmas special – and how she felt they gave a Christmas present to the community.
It’s not every day that a celebrity turns up in the Rhondda, so locals in Pentre would have been forgiven for being left starstruck when Mary Berry showed up to film a TV show along with former Bake Off hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins earlier this year.
The trio reunited to film Mary, Mel and Sue’s Big Christmas Thank You.
Locals in Pentre watched on as production crews set up a large glass structure on the local bowling green, decked out with fairy lights, Christmas trees and festive decorations earlier this year.
The BBC confirmed earlier this year that the trio had reunited to surprise a group of residents with “the most magnificent Christmas party the town has ever seen”.
Scenes are set to air on Christmas Eve which show the “exceptional” group being treated to some “festive magic” after they pulled together to open a community centre.
The show will see Mary and some local helpers serve up a Christmas dinner, while Mel and Sue will stage a party and help give the centre a facelift.
Mary said: “We went to Wales and helped a community that had had a very difficult time. They started a community centre and this one particular person, called Buffy, gave them all their inspiration.
“She got everyone together to smarten up the community centre. Everybody put their heart and soul into it and it’s become the centre of the town.
“Last year the community centre managed to put on a meal of turkey baps, but we thought they deserved something really special.
“The meal was part of a great big party for the community to celebrate Christmas – there were crackers and singing, everybody really enjoyed it.”
Mary added: “The cooking was challenging for them because some of them had never cooked before but they enjoyed it and they did very well!
“We also painted up the community centre and put in a new cooker and brightened up the whole place.
“It was a bit like our Christmas present to the community – and everybody was thrilled. We had a ball!
“And, of course, it was a total surprise to everyone.
“Nobody knew anything about it – the three of us just showed up.”
Mel and Sue added they loved getting to know everyone.
They said: “They are totally and utterly some of the nicest people we could have had the good fortune of spending three days with!
“It was genuinely really sad to say goodbye to everyone. We hope they felt the same.”
Mary, Mel and Sue’s Big Christmas Thank You will air on BBC One on Christmas Eve at 7pm.