Blog Post
What a worthy winner – Nadiya

So – a year has passed and another Bake Off winner is crowned !  Nadiya is a worthy winner I might add.  She worked her socks off and practised her heart out there is no doubt about that.  She will now be living a crazy life of interviews, appearances and media attention.  The question I am asked over and over again is how was it kept a secret ?

There was of course talk of the winner being leaked this year but thankfully I didn’t do any searching because in actual fact I didn’t want to know.  It’s never the same watching a football match when you know the score – is it ?

If this year’s bakers feel anything like me they will now almost be feeling a sense of loss.  For months, in truth probably a year since they made their application their whole life has been pre-occupied with Bake Off.  They will have started with their application form then the ups and downs of the audition process and then finally taking part in the tent.  For the finalists that will have taken its toll and used up every scrap of energy.  There is then the lull from the end of filming at the end of June to the programme being aired in August – and then the real frenzy starts.  I had never understood the power of television until I became part of Bake Off. 

Probably even more so this year as I understand there were another million or so viewers – incredible !

Then after all the glitz is it possible to return to life as you knew it before ?  I think the answer is yes (you need to if you’re to stay grounded) and no because there are new opportunities which have to be embraced.  For me – I still cycle around town for my shopping and take the dog for walks.  I continue to care for my hens and garden but equally I then get the glad rags on and hop on the train to London.  I have been known to trip “down south” three times in one week.

Would I change things ?  – absolutely not !  I think though I have got the balance absolutely right.

My advice to Nadiya, Tamal and Ian is thoroughly enjoy it – each and every one of you has earned it.  You will have made friends for life on Bake Off and year and year it goes from strength to strength so who knows what’s in store for you all.

It is an honour to be asked to support charities and I decided in order to be able to structure my charitable work I would concentrate on three for the year.  I put my name to our local Lindsey Lodge Hospice in Scunthorpe, Cash for Kids in Hull and Guide Dogs being a national charity.

However, I have found myself doing many other bits and pieces along the way for worthy causes.

This week is Guide Dogs week and the theme is LetsGlow.  I was asked to provide a recipe which would help to advertise their cause.  Here is the link to these little chocolate chip cakes.  They are incredibly simple and even my three year old grand daughter had a bash earlier in the week.

https://www.nancybirtwhistle.co.uk/recipes/chocolate-chip-cupcakes

I have a busy week ahead with a trip to the Lake District midweek to do some after dinner speaking then heading back and seeing Michael McIntyre live on Friday night.

Have a great week and that’s readers for taking time to read my ramblings.