I can’t think of a television show that I adore more than The Great British Baking Show. It’s authenticity is something that most baking competitions lack, and the cast is always so darn lovable.
The Great British Baking Show was already a huge hit across the pond, but saw a surge in popularity when the beloved show aired on PBS and introduced Americans to British bakes and truly unscripted television. I personally believe that the show forever changed how I bake. The Great British Baking Show challenged all bakers, wannabes and otherwise, to step up their baking game and try new bakes that perhaps we’d never heard of before.
In addition to the knowledge gained from watching the Baking Show, I also developed a fond admiration for Mary Berry who judged alongside Paul Hollywood from 2010 to 2016. Berry, who rivals the greatness of Queen Elizabeth herself, appears to have led an impressive and scandal-free life as a cookbook author, tv show host, wife and mother. But, a few years ago, Mary revealed that she had once been detained at an airport for carrying what appeared to be illegal substances.
In an interview with Graham Norton, Berry shared that more than 25 years ago she had been arrested on her way to the United States.
“I was going to the US to do some cookery demonstrations and was worried that there might be problems so I weighed out each recipe in little bags, and I had the flour and the sugar and everything grouped together…” Berry admitted. “When we arrived there were dogs, and I love dogs. Three of them came up [sniffing]…Suddenly the airport became empty and there were just uniformed people.”
The uniformed officers separated Berry and her assistant, Lucy, into two cells. Mary was then asked if she intended to make money from the substances in the plastic baggies. Berry responded, “‘Oh, I do and my fee has already been agreed.'”
The airport incident isn’t the only time the famous cook has been arrested. Berry’s longtime friend and Great British Baking Show co-judge Paul Hollywood once had her detained for vandalism. Hollywood detailed the incident when he appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2019.
“We were doing a demonstration…we’d just finished the last demo. I’d gone back to a book signing. Mary was leaving to go home,” Paul said. Following the book signing, Hollywood was being escorted to his car when one of the security guards asked him if he saw what was on his car. “Somebody’s written on your car,” the guard told Hollywood who didn’t believe him until he saw it for himself.
“It just said ‘Love, Mary’ with a kiss, with a sharpie,” Paul said.
Hollywood added more details when he appeared on the Graham Norton Show saying that the police officer asked him at the time if he wanted Mary Berry arrested. Hollywood chose to leave Mary’s signature on his car for 12 months. When he and Berry returned to the same event for another demo a year later, Hollywood ran into the same officer and asked if he could have Berry arrested while on stage.
The officer obliged, with some help, and handcuffed Mary Berry on stage before leading her away. It was all in good fun though, as Berry returned to the stage a few minutes later and hit Paul over the head with her bag.
Hear Paul Hollywood retell the story in the clip below.
