BBC to broadcast Mary Berry visit’s to Tangmere

The Great British Bake Off judge’s episode of Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites features a visit she made to the Tangmere Community Garden last September.

Her friend and fellow chef Rosemary Moon formed the community garden for the benefit of the village and she was delighted to receive a visit from her friend.

Here, Rosemary writes what viewers can expect from Friday’s episode:

“Cookery writer and Bake-Off queen Mary Berry may be best known for her recipes but she is a very keen gardener and a Grow Your Own Ambassador for the Royal Horticultural Society.

“When themes for her current TV show were discussed and allotment growing suggested, Mary immediately said that she would like to film at Tangmere Community Garden.

“She was keen to visit to see how growing and sharing produce works within a community.

“Of course we then had to be checked out by the production company, not only to see if we were articulate and presentable enough, but for all the practical things too. Could cars and vans full of equipment get close enough to unload, was there a loo and what about lunch?! Not to mention where would Mary have her make-up done?!

“The tiny segment – which took all day to film – will be shown this Friday, June 12 at 8pm on BBC2 on Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites.

“Garden members took the day off work back at the end of September to experience and be part of the filming and several of our children had the day off school.

“The cameras started to roll about 10am and wrapped at 5pm after we had shared one of our typical Bring & Share suppers with Mary and made pizzas topped with garden produce in our clay oven.

“Film crews eat a lot of cake but we had enough: gardeners seem to be very good bakers!

“We shall doubtless be edited to a couple of minutes but we feature every week on the titles to the show and had a marvellous trailer at the end of last week’s programme.

“I have a feeling that the stars of the show will, however, be our piglets which had just arrived when the filming took place: they are long since bacon and chops but were at the totally-cute stage when Mary was with us.

“We are hoping to get some more shortly as the garden is never the same without livestock.

“Mary was spotted doing her Pig Whispering in the pen by workers from the offices on Tangmere Airfield walking by on their lunchtime constitutional: there were double takes of recognition over the hedge at the lady surrounded by cameras in the pig pen!

“Tangmere Airfield Museum has a Vintage Wheels event on Sunday (June 14). If you are visiting, why not take a short walk up towards the hangers and have a peep at our community garden?

“Our big polytunnel and wonderful garden sign will guide you to us and if there is anyone working in the garden – which there often is on a Sunday – you will be most welcome to have a look around.”

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