Sue Perkins has revealed she helps out with a lot of the cooking behind the scenes on The Great British Bake Off.
The comedian and her co-presenter Mel Giedroyc are often seen tasting the treats whipped up by the contestants on the BBC cookery competition. But when the cameras aren’t rolling, Sue is actually a dab hand in the kitchen herself.
Sue has befriended the home economists who test the technical challenge recipes on Bake Off (“they're my mates”), and has learned a lot from them.
"I will help them make stuff and if they’re doing demonstrations, I’ll make some of the bread,” Sue says.
“I had quite a slow day on Bake Off once and we were having Comic Relief winners to come and have tea with us, and I made pretty much the whole tea myself - the scones and muffins and cakes and things. I was quite pleased with that.”
And notoriously hard-to-impress judge Paul Hollywood - who knows a good crumb from a soggy bottom - has even conceded that Sue is “a really good baker”.
“I wouldn't say I was any good at it, but it’s very sweet of Paul to say I’m OK.
“I suppose over the years I’ve kind of learnt by default what goes with what and how you should know when something’s done, and I’m quite lucky, I’ve been cooked for by amazing people.”
Sue is also currently hosting the new More4 show Cooks’ Questions, in which three top chefs demonstrate their skills and answer questions from a studio audience of “fervent foodies”.
Cooks' Questions, More4, Monday, August 11, 9.00pm.
The Great British Bake Off, BBC1, Wednesday, August 13, 8.00pm
