Mary Berry: 'Paul Hollywood and I had our differences'

Mary Berry, the former Great British Bake Off judge, has admitted she and Paul Hollywood “had our differences about what was important to us” after the show was poached by Channel 4.

Berry, who chose to stay with the BBC after it lost its flagship baking show to a rival channel, said she had “admired” Hollywood and would stand by him, but suggested they had a drastic difference of opinion about their careers.

She disclosed she refused to meet with Channel 4 to discuss a potentially lucrative deal, saying she had already made up her mind.

Hollywood chose to go with the show, saying in December: “If you could double your wages, by going across the road to a rival, would you?"

Last year, Berry and the show’s hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc released a statement to say they would not “follow the dough”, and have since confirmed they will make more programmes with the BBC.

Asked if she had ever been attracted by the prospect of a bigger pay cheque, Berry told the Radio Times: "No, I wasn't. And anyway, I was never asked to go. I avoided being asked.

“It was suggested what would happen if I did go to Channel 4, what I would get, the advantages.

"But I didn't ever have a meeting with them. I'd made up my mind. To me, it's an honour to be on the BBC. I was brought up on it."

Of Hollywood, she added: "I would always stand by him. Paul and I had our differences about what was important to us, but he is a brilliant bread-maker and I admired him a lot."

She called Mel and Sue "extraordinary," adding: "They are extremely bright and their humour is spontaneous and very cheeky. They are hilarious and I am so fond of them.

"It was the BBC's programme, it grew there. So I decided to stay with the BBC, with Mel and Sue."

Berry also told the magazine she encouraged a slice of cake for children after school and did not approve of people crying too much on television.