Mel Giedroyc says Bake Off co-star Mary Berry inspired her to tackle theatre

Mark Douet
Robert Dex @RobDexES19 April 2018

Former Great British Bake Off star Mel Giedroyc said co-host Mary Berry was the inspiration for her move into theatre.

Giedroyc, 49, is set to make her West End debut this year in Stephen Sondheim’s Company after finishing her run as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. She said: “I take each thing as it comes and try and give it 110 per cent — it’s just a blessing to be able to do different things. I feel so lucky the opportunities are there while I’ve got my marbles.”

Referring to Berry, 83, who also left Bake Off when it moved to Channel 4 last year, she said: “Look at someone like Mary Berry, for God’s sake, that woman is just such an inspiration… what’s to say you can’t do stuff for years and years and years?” The comedian and presenter, who happily admits she is “not a trained actor”, said learning her lines was “unbearable” and had been using an app to help her.

She said: “I talked to friends who are actors and do Shakespeare and they all say, especially at my age — I’m going to be 50 in June — learn it so much your family wants to clobber you because they’re so sick of hearing it.”

​Giedroyc said her early days doing gigs with comedy partner Sue Perkins helped her prepare: “I’ve always done stuff on stage, so it feels very natural. Sue and I did seven years of going round the country doing our live stuff, but I’ve still had so much to learn.

Giedroyc starts rehearsals for Company in August before the show opens in October and says after that she has her eye on a TV role.

Much Ado About Nothing - in pictures

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She said: “I would love to be in a Poirot, just literally a very small role coming in with a sort of character hat, possibly an umbrella, saying something pithy and then getting out. It would be a joy.”

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