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Television icon Dame Mary Berry, who will be presented with the BAFTA Fellowship this Sunday, has disclosed that she "avoids processed foods" as she grows older. The Great British Bake Off star, who celebrated her 91st birthday in March, is admired for her remarkable vitality, as well as her legendary baking skills.

Speaking on the Lessons From Our Mothers podcast, the mother-of-three explained that she prefers instead to visit her local butcher or supermarket to personally select fresh ingredients.

The TV chef said: "I avoid processed foods. Absolutely definitely. I love to shop at a farm shop and I don't mind knobbly vegetables. I go to my supermarket, I go to the butchers. If you go to a butchers you'll get advice as well as well as good meat."

Mary was one of the original judges on Bake Off, gracing the programme from 2010 to 2016, and has published more than 75 cookbooks. Her TV career spans six decades, and she's set to be recognised for her "incredible legacy" during the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards ceremony.

Sharing her thoughts on receiving the prestigious award, Dame Mary admitted: "I couldn't believe it was true, what a huge honour to be presented with the BAFTA Fellowship. For over 50 years, I have enjoyed every moment of teaching my passion on television and I thank all the generous professionals along the way who have given me guidance and support - and I am still learning. This amazing BAFTA Fellowship is the icing on cake!"

Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA, added: "The BAFTA Fellowship is our highest honour, and we're proud to celebrate Mary's extraordinary legacy at this year's BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises."

Despite her extraordinary longevity and continued vigour well into her tenth decade, Mary admits there is one popular health trend she simply cannot embrace.

The celebrated baker confesses she is "not a huge lover of kale," despite the leafy green being widely associated with numerous health benefits, including boosted immunity, stronger bones, improved heart health and a potentially reduced risk of cancer.

Mary told the podcast: "I don't go with the trends. I'm not a huge lover of kale. I used to give that to my pony. I love cabbage. I'll promote that or watercress and all those sort of things." This follows Mary making a poignant health revelation as she faced difficulties at a public engagement.

The incident occurred at the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards last year, where the former Great British Bake Off judge received a special honour. However, she reportedly found it challenging to cope with the noise from the enthusiastic audience.

The distinguished chef, who took to the stage at The Royal Exchange in London, asked those present to reduce their noise levels, stressing the importance of the occasion.

Dame Mary insisted that it was essential that "every single person" could be heard, before informing the audience that she was "deaf", as reported by the Mail.

According to the publication, she appealed: "Please do keep it very, very quiet. It's such an important occasion, and you must hear every single person that comes up here. I'm deaf and there are maybe one or two others that also find it difficult to hear everything."

In earlier conversations regarding her health, the television chef recalled how she was "lucky" to have contracted a mild form of polio at the age of 13, before a vaccine was available.

The British Academy Television Awards air on Sunday from 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer.