Great British Bake-Off hosts may reunite
During their reign on the BBC, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry became the kind of power couple that most TV executives can only dream of. They worked together on seven series of the Great British Bake Off on BBC One and BBC Two, before the show moved to Channel 4 in 2017. Although Paul Hollywood moved with the show, his co-star and fellow judge Mary Berry decided not to make the move.
RELATED: Bake Off Returns on Channel 4
It’s a loss which was felt keenly by many fans of the show, although reviews of the new cast for the 2017 were mostly favourable. However, in January 2018 it was announced that Mary Berry was in talks to appear on The Great American Baking Show – the USA’s answer to GBBO. As Paul Hollywood is already on board for the spin off, Mary signing up would mean a reunion for two of TV’s biggest baking stars.
RELATED: Seven of GBBO’s Best-Ever Bakes
ABC Network President Channing Dungey said: “Audiences really get excited about the contestants and the way in which the show unfolds. The format is not that different from the British version but I think viewers respond to the hosts and the people we have here. We are excited about the way we are doing the show here in America.”
Mary Berry is a national treasure who has published more than 75 books in a career spanning decades. Her introduction to the world of food came in a domestic science class at school, after which she quickly moved on to bigger and better things. She travelled to France to attend prestigious cookery school Le Cordon Bleu at the age of 22 and the rest, as they say, is history. Many much loved cookbooks followed, along with an editorial role at Housewife magazine and an increasingly high public profile. In 2010 she joined the Great British Bake Off team, where she was first paired up with her on-air partner, Paul Hollywood.
RELATED: Book a Celeb with a Royal Connection From a Top Talent Agency
Hollywood himself has had baking in his genes from the beginning. His father, a bakery owner, put him to work as a teenager and before long the young Hollywood was working as a Head Baker at some of the best hotels in the country – notably the Dorchester and the Cliveden Hotel. After a stint working abroad at resorts in Cyprus, Hollywood returned to the UK and began carving out a career for himself as a TV personality and celebrity chef. His career really took off when he was paired up with Mary Berry on the Great British Bake Off in 2010, and he has since moved to Channel 4 with the revamped show.
The pairing was described by The Guardian as the show’s ‘secret weapons.’ An article in the paper said: “They’re astoundingly good at what they do. They share a joyous enthusiasm for baking but, equally, their scorn can be unknowably ferocious. In last night’s episode, for example, they both rounded on a subpar macaroon with enough venom to land you on your bottom. But the key to their success is that they can always zoom in and identify what the problem is. It’s more of a brutally honest diagnostic than criticism, and it’s fantastic to watch.”
It will then, come as happy news to many friends that the pair could soon be reunited across the pond.
If you’re looking to hire a celebrity to promote your brand or boost attendance at an event, the inimitable Paul Hollywood could be a great choice. His warmth makes him a great public speaker, while his high profile ensures he’ll be a real draw. Whether you’re looking for a celebrity endorsement or an after dinner speaker, Paul Hollywood could be the man for the job.