Mary Berry - irritating?

I think she is great for her age. She is enthusiastic and seems like a nice person. The programmes that come from her home show a beautiful house and gardens and everything in her garden seems rosy. Of course, I know she has had tragedies in her life, like losing her son, so it's not all perfect.
I get the impression that she knows what she wants and goes for it, you can't knock her for that. My teenage granddaughter loves her. We were watching one of her programmes recently and my DH said 'Sorry but there's something about her I don't like.' My DGD was shocked. She said 'Grandad, how could you'

Mary Berry is overused. She crops up on so many television programmes, as do Mel and Sue. It’s as if the BBC are compensating them for selling Bake Off to Channel Four. I’m tired of all three of them. I love the new Bake Off with the new presenters. I much prefer them.

I watched the first Bake Off prog the other day. She looked so dreary...no style and very 'grey'. She looks lovely now. She has style and elegance. Oh and she explains things so simply. A wonderful example of an older woman who still has soul and refuses to blend in with the background...

I've always found Delia's recipes 100% reliable but her TV programmes were as dull as ditchwater.

There's something for everyone as far as TV chefs/cooks go these days. I quite like all of them in their different ways.

DH didn't like Nigel Slater until his recent programme on Middle Eastern cookery which he found entertaining and informative.

Jamie Oliver has encouraged a lot of young people to start cooking but my eldest DGS has a copy of Mary Berry's cookery course in the kitchen of his first home.

I like Mary Berry. She is a trained, qualified cook and has earned her living throughout her life by her cookery. She has also survived the loss of a son.Her recipes work and are clearly set out and easy to follow, something Delia is unable to do: far too much writing.
Any good cook/teacher is a perfectionist, something sadly missing in these 'throw in a handful of this, that and the other'; they know what they are doing; we don't.
And I am surprised at the level of bitchiness on this thread; misplaced.

Must admit she's a bit like my domestic science teacher - too bossy for me - I would prefer to be encouraged to try something new rather than be told I'm doing it all wrong.

I find some of her cake recipes good but for general cooking across the board I think you can always rely on a Delia recipe. Gary Rhodes is quite good too and Nigel Slater. Jamie recipes I am not so keen on.

Too many cooking programmes - Masterchef etc etc.

I used to quite like her earlier programmes and have bought some of the books but I'm not sure I've learnt very much from her. This latest programme invokes the same response in me as Nigella's programmes- nausea. All that smiling and slurping straight into the camera - didn't get that with Delia whose cooking I much preferred.

I really like her - love watching her cooking programmes and felt she was very fair and kind on "Bake Off".
So if you are reading this Mary (I feel sure she is a GransNetter) keep on doing what you are doing because I am a FAN!!

Mary Berry's recipes work but I don't watch her on TV, she reminds me of my old school domestic science teacher.

kitty one of the themes that turns me off to GN is this recurring ‘I don’t like so and so’.

I can tell that you are a nice person having read your comments on recent threads, so don’t take this personally.

But why bother having a go at someone you don’t know personally, only through their TV persona? It’s not as if she’s done anyone any harm, or expressed outrageous views. She’s just making a living.

And I’m not just sticking up for MB, to me it’s anyone harmless who is in the public eye - this of course doesn’t include politicians who are up for grabs.

Why do we do this?

I do like her recipes, but her tv programmes get on my nerves. They seem to be as much about her lovely lifestyle as her recipes. Could be worse though - anyone remember Fanny Craddock??

Haha thought it was just me!! She grates on my nerves..bit smug...can't put my finger on it..just not keen...

"elegant and stylish..... just the way an older woman should look".
Nope, getting older = living our lives as we wish. I've no problem with MB looking as she does but I'd run a mile (if I could) to avoid looking anything like that.

oldmeg

Here we go again!

And me! I thought I liked her on bake off, but now realise that it was the programme I enjoyed and the bakers, certainly not the presenters as Hollywood is an idiot.

Watching her cooking programmes I feel exactly as kitty says.

I quite like her recipes though, because they are simple and usually very good to eat.

I was always scared to say she got in my wick, as I thought ut was only me. I must be the only person in the only country who hasn't ever watched Bake Off.

I've nothing against Mary Berry. She's a well -presented, successful older woman whose recipes actually work.

I can't stand the woman. Am enjoying the new bake off so much better.

I just hope I can be as active when I am 82 !

I use her recipes a lot and they work every time.

I don't mind Mary Berry, but she keeps cropping up everywhere these days. Give the poor (I wonder how much she's paid) woman a rest!

I think she is lovely, her recipes work and she has stood the test of time by being very capable, looking good and giving helpful hints too. Not too much cream and sugar there either!

To be fair, every recipe I've tried of MB's has been successful. I've got 3 of her recipe books and use them more than any other. No weird ingredients that you'll only ever use once; just ordinary cupboard items. They work for me.