Plant Hope and Bake Goodness

Plant hope and bake goodness JAY WILLIAMS; JONATHAN BANKS; BBC; Anne Cuthbertson talks to The Great British Bake-Off’s Mel Giedroyc about cakes, gardening and their therapeutic powers eries four of The Great British Bake-Off has just finished filming, but Mel Giedroyc is sworn to secrecy. “It was a cracker Sof a final,” says the 45 year-old, who co-presents the Bafta-winning BBC Two show with her friend and comedy partner Sue Perkins. “There were about 200 people there, with a coconut shy, candyfloss and stalls. The weather was incredible, unlike last year when there was a bunch of sad people in cagoules.” Will the new Bake-Off come up to the standard of last year’s belter, which topped six million viewers for the final? “This year’s vibe is good,” says Mel, quietly confident. Viewers love the show’s slow organic process, which allows you to get to know the characters. Beneath the tension, it is a laugh on set. “The bakers need the humour as well, in this strange environment with cameras on them, being asked to describe everything they do.” Mel has great respect for the judging duo of Paul Hollywood, a professional baker of more than 30 Star bakers: Mel years, and Mary Berry, the 78-year- with Sue Perkins, old grande dame of cakes and Aga Mary Berry and cookery. “They are extremely close,” Paul Hollywood Mel says. “She’s like a mother to a slightly pesky son. Paul is never After months of wrong, it’s very annoying. He is filming and before like Simon Cowell; he knows his taking a break for the onions”. Mary is “an extraordinary summer, Mel has another woman, stoic, no-messing.” And commitment that is close to her surprising. “Mary admitted to Sue heart. Next Sunday she will be and I – I’m sure she won’t mind me appearing at Horatio’s Garden Food saying – that she went to Pasha, one and Plant Fair at the Duke of of the biggest nightclubs in Ibiza. Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre at ‘Did she go in the afternoon for tea?’ Salisbury Hospital. we wondered. ‘Oh no, midnight’, “My link is very personal. she said. She had a great time.” A good friend at film school Mel and Sue had taken the called Giles had an accident series one gig expecting little. in Australia and ended up “It was just another cookery in the unit. We used to visit show. We thought it would go him and I got to know the under the radar. It’s been staff and saw – and I hate absurd!” she says. using this word but I’m Applications for this year’s going to – ‘the journey’ he show were “in the made. He’s tetraplegic. thousands”. But 20 years on he’s Mel describes herself married, with two as a “level one” baker, lovely dogs.” Hope grows: Mel Giedroyc, left, will be at Horatio’s Garden; Cleve West, its designer, Olivia Chapple and Annie Maw, above comfortable with Horatio’s brownies but “scared Garden has expedition to Norway in 2011, at the café in Oxford, a venture for which tomatoes in attempts to make pizza of bread”. “It’s the become a national age of 17. mental health patients are (a gentle introduction to yeast). “I’m yeast. You live in charity, building Horatio’s legacy is the most encouraged to bake and learn on top of that,” she says. Is it a Paul the presence of therapy gardens at beautiful garden, designed by the catering skills to take into paid jobs. Hollywood recipe? “No,” she adds, something that’s spinal centres in Chelsea gold medallist Cleve West. Next Sunday, Horatio’s Garden dropping her voice to a whisper, “it’s alive.” Sue, on the the UK. It is For bed-bound hospital patients, to will host artisan food producers, with a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.” other hand is “a named after be taken into a garden, says Mel, is plants for sale, gifts and crafts. There natural”. “For a lot Horatio Chapple, “an important part of recovery, a will be traditional ciders from Bridge Horatio’s Garden’s Food and Plant Fair of this series Sue who volunteered godsend”. Her friend Giles was Farm, salt marsh lamb from the takes place at Salisbury District has been in the as a schoolboy with outdoorsy and to see him being Thoroughly Wild Meat Co, and sushi Hospital, SP2 8BJ on Sunday 23 June, home-economics ambitions to go stuck inside in a bed was agony. from Dorset Sushi. from 11am-3pm: horatiosgarden.org. kitchen, the into medicine, his In terms of rehabilitation and Mel is no stranger to farmers’ uk; email [email protected] nexus of the father being a therapeutic qualities, baking and markets. “My husband is a devotee or call 07429 140918. Entry is free. production. She consultant surgeon gardening have a lot in common, of the West Ealing farmers’ market. Mel Giedroyc will be opening the made a very at the hospital. Mel says. She supports the efforts of We became obsessed with the Restore cafe, at Littlemore Mental good batch of Horatio was killed last year’s Bake-Off finalist Brendan tomato guy – my daughters thought Health Centre, Oxford on 26 July scones. And by a polar bear while Lynch to take baking courses into he looked like Troy from High (restore.org.uk). traybakes for the on a British Schools care homes. Mel will next month School Musical – and would spend The fourth series of ‘The Great British grand final party.” Exploring Society open the Restore charity’s Littlemore £20 on tomatoes.” She’s used the Bake-Off’ returns in August.

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