The Great British Bake Off (GBBO) judge Mary Berry has been made an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers in the City of London. 

A special ceremony was held for Berry as she became a member of the Baker’s Company, who run numerous programmes in the baking industry to help young people get into the business. 

David Bentley, Master of the Worshipful Company of Bakers claimed there has been a rise in bakery students since GBBO hit the screens. 

He said: “Since The Great British Bake Off launched in 2010 the bakery profession has seen a huge upturn in young people opting to pursue baking as a career, and numerous artisan bakeries have opened in villages and towns across the UK.

“We are delighted that Mary Berry has accepted the Honorary Livery of the Bakers Company. She has so done so much to popularise baking, and the impact of The Great British Bake Off cannot be under-estimated.

“It’s impossible to under-estimate the ‘Mary Berry Effect’, with recent figures showing a 70 per cent increase in students wanting to enrol on bakery courses.”

He added: “Mary’s passion for teaching is central to the ethos of all 110 City of London Livery Companies. Between them, they cover almost every trade you can think of and donate over £40m each year in charitable giving, with over half of which goes into education.”

Berry studied for Paris Cordon Bleu at the age of 21, and has now hosted several bakery related TV shows included popular series, The Great British Bake Off.

She said: “The City of London Livery Companies have, for centuries, been supporting society through education, skills, research and welfare – and that work continues today. I am delighted to be joining the Worshipful Company of Bakers and honoured that the Company should invite me to do so.”