Mary Berry claims she has the edge on Delia Smith because she's a mum

Mary Berry has controversially said that she has a career advantage over Delia Smith because she is a mother and has children to give her feedback.

The 81-year-old cook thinks her fellow celebrity chef Delia – who is married to the writer Michael Wynn-Jones and previously expressed her regreat at not having children – is missing out by being childless because Mary’s three kids have been her harshest critics, and their criticism has helped her to further her career.

“Because I’ve got children I’m very lucky because they say ‘don’t do that again mum,” she started.

Speaking at An Evening with Mary Berry, The former Great British Bake Off judge continued: “I always feel that Delia, who I think is absolutely brilliant, hasn’t had the advantage of having children like I have because you don’t half get the truth.”

Ooft, and there it is.

Despite the fact she would have “loved” to have children with her husband Michael, Delia, 75, says not having kids to look after has given her more time to concentrate on her work and is one of the secrets to her success.

She told Yours magazine in 2011: “It wasn’t to be, but I have loved what I’ve been able to do by not having children.

“Maybe one of the reasons I’ve been so successful in my career is down to the fact I haven’t had any children.”

Do you think Mary is right to have said she has the edge over Delia because she has kids?

Elsewhere, Prue Leith is being lined up to replace Mary on GBBO and is reportedly expected to earn three times more than the TV legend.

The 77-year-old restaurateur was first approached about the role earlier this year, and is now believed to have been offered £200,000, completely dwarfing the £70,000 offered to Mary when the programme was still with rival broadcaster BBC.

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