Mary Berry - irritating?

Well at least there’s a couple of posters who’ve understood and supported my stance.

What a great excuse GN gives for some people to get the knives out and attack people, usually other women, because they ‘can’t stand them’ or ‘irritate them’.

Why do women do this? Especially old women? Is there an element of jealousy as one poster suggested? Or it it just a way to vent some venom that has to normally be kept hidden?

Remembering that you haven’t met Mary Berry (or Debbie McGee) in real life. Your only knowledge of them is gleaned from the media and they’ve never done you (or anyone else) any harm.

So why?

Those are serious questions.

Ohhps should read Domestic science teacher

1 Agree kittylester, don’t know why but I detect a steely toughness behind that lovely smile. Perhaps I am reminded of a very strict Domestic Science( as it was called then) I wasn’t particularly keen or good at baking cakes even though I desperately wanted to be, sadly still the same now ?

Personally I quite enjoy Mary Berry's programmes, and also her recipes which, for a reluctant cook like me, are very easy to follow and achieve good results and surely that is the whole point of the programme. I'm sure her dexterity when cooking despite physical limitations is an inspiration to others, and I believe her dress style has encouraged lots of older women to try bolder, more colourful fashions. As for her appearing on TV too often, that's probably down to the greedy programmers cashing in on her popularity. I guess she must have a very understanding husband and family to tolerate her frequent absences.

And, it's not because she's an older woman who doesn't look like an old bag either!

No sorry don’t agree, like MB and her programme. Never watched bake off anyway, boring.
Like the programme she is doing at the mo.

What a relief, I thought I was the only one!

Mapleleaf, I am with you. I think it is lovely that someone of the older generation has had such success on TV good luck to her. She doesn't look like "an old bag" either. Perhaps thats the problem.

I'm sure she is lovely in real life but she drives me bonkers on TV.

And, it isn't because she's female or blonde or slim or rich - she irritates me which she didn't in the early days.

Mary Berry came to speak to our WI Group meeting. She was charming and not at all full of herself at all. She has a good sense of humour and we had a splendid evening.

Many years ago Paul Daniels came to open the fete at our son’s school. Now he was a real Prima Donna or whatever the male equivalent is. Obviously Debbie had a very
different view.

Hey she has been a bit of a trailblazer over the years and I have followed so many of her recipes which all work.

I think she is rather wonderful . Good luck to the woman !

I was given a Mary Berry cookbook as a present in 1977 and have used it ever since as the recipes are simple, practical, contain ingredients from the cupboard and they work. The proof of the pudding is that the ingredients from each dish are dropped all over the page explaining how to make it. You can hardly see the recipe for her brilliant chocolate mousse for the chocolate.

I have never watched ‘Bake Off’ but I have seen the lady in question in a nearby restaurant with her grandchildren, and for a millionaire celebrity, she seemed down to earth and charming.

I can't stand all the pouting Nigella does.
Not jealous, couldn't care less, good luck to her, and all of that.
Just the pouting gets on my wick.

JanaNana I remember Houseparty. We’d just moved to a new area where I knew nobody so I watched daytime telly to pass the time.
I like MB because her recipes work for me. Don’t mind her being on telly a lot and I like seeing her lovely home and garden.
I like Nigella Lawson too. She also hasn’t had an easy life, even if she does earn squillions!
Thinking about it I think I like these two because, IMO, they don’t take themselves too seriously.

You've summed it up correctly oldmeg. There's too much of this "lets have a go at them because they are on tv, so in the public domain, so worthy of being got at". We women should be supporting each other, not putting someone down for the way they look, the way they come across, the way they wear their hair, etc, etc. It's highly likely that the majority of us have never met her, so we don't know what she is really like as a person, so therefore we are not well placed to make personal comments about her. So unkind and unnecessary. I really do think in some cases there's a smidgeon of envy creeping in too. She's successful, she's on tv a lot - good for her, I say!

Well said Oldgoat.

Why do some people on here enjoy being so unpleasant about others.

I don't watch Mary Berry - I find her smug and condescending - although it is difficult to avoid her as she appears to be everywhere, even the gardening programmes, much to my annoyance. It isn't just me then? I am delighted when people are successful, and am certainly not mean spirited or judgemental. I despise this 'holier than thou' attitude!

She’s overexposed though Direne3 a little bit of someone can be nice, refreshing even, but when she’s on constantly and in almost every magazine on the shelves , you get a bit fed up. Well I do anyway .

Oh I absolutely do turn over Carobel .
I don’t agree with your comment though . There are plenty very successful people on TV I really like and even admire . MB isn’t one of them . Nor is DMc.

No matter whether you're a fan or not (and I'm not expressing an opinion either way), you surely must admit that MB is a classy, nicely spoken lady who sets a good example.

I've seen far more mean spirited and judgemental comments directed at members here than Mary Berry is being subject to.

Isn’t it funny, as soon as someone gets some success and becomes famous, people feel the need, to be derogatory and”take them down a peg or two”. It seems to be a national pastime and it’s getting worse with the advent of social media. Remember nobody is perfect. If you don’t like her, fine! There is always the option to turn over to another Chanel. People are becoming very mean spirited and judgemental

Not a fan of tv cookery shows. Mary Berry's recipes are easy to follow and I always get great results. Thanks Mary.

Oh yes , her too areyouevertoooldforhotpants ? She’s another one who seems to be on everything and in every magazine at the minute. I suppose their agents have to keep their exposure to a maximum in the hope that they’ll get offered the biggy. Please No!

But not half as much as Debbie McGee - she really gets on my bits ...