I’m a home baker who loves watching The Great British Baking Show. I decided to embark on my own Great British Baking Challenge by baking through the Bake Off! I hope you will join me, or at least read along, as I attempt every challenge the contestants on the show are given. On your mark, get set…BAKE!
In her 2020 Birthday Honors, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed on Mary Berry the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
Mary was a judge on The Great British Bake Off for its first seven seasons. She stepped down from the show when it was announced that GBBO was switching from the BBC to Channel 4. She had a long history with the BBC, having appeared on various programs since the beginning of her career in the early 1970s, so it makes sense that she would remain loyal to the network.
Since leaving GBBO, Mary has been a judge on BBC’s “Britain’s Best Home Cook” and has had two of her own shows, “Classic Mary Berry” and “Mary Berry’s Simple Comforts.”
During her long and prodigious career, the now 85-year-old queen of cakes has published more than 80 cookbooks, including Mary Berry’s Baking Bible , first published in 2009. Altogether, her books have sold more than 5 million copies. She even has her own app, Mary Berry: In Mary We Trust, featuring many of her popular recipes.
Of receiving the title, Dame Mary said, “I am absolutely overwhelmed to receive this great honor.”