Mary Berry Reflects on Family, Career and Personal Loss After Receiving BAFTA Fellowship

Mary Berry has been honoured with a prestigious BAFTA Fellowship, marking another milestone in a television career that has spanned more than five decades. The celebrated cook and broadcaster received the award during a ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall, where she reflected on her long-standing connection with the BBC and her enduring passion for cooking and teaching.

The 91-year-old television personality was presented with BAFTA’s highest honour by former The Great British Bake Off hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. During her acceptance speech, Berry described herself as “a cook” and “a teacher” and said she felt deeply honoured to receive the recognition for her contribution to television.

While Berry remains one of Britain’s most recognisable culinary figures, much of her life away from the screen has centred on her close-knit family. She has been married to her husband, Paul Hunnings, since 1966, and together they raised three children: Thomas, William and Annabel.

Berry has previously spoken openly about the challenges of balancing motherhood with a demanding career during a period when relatively few women worked full time while raising children. Reflecting on those years, she admitted she often struggled with guilt while trying to manage family life alongside her professional ambitions.

The chef has also shared the heartbreak of losing her younger son, William, in a car accident when he was 19 years old. In a documentary reflecting on her life and career, Berry recalled preparing a family meal ahead of his return home from university shortly before the tragedy occurred.

William later took the family car into town with his sister Annabel before the fatal crash. Berry has described the moment police arrived at her door to inform her of the accident, recalling the profound shock experienced by the family.

Over the years, Berry has spoken candidly about coping with the loss while also expressing gratitude for the time they shared as a family. She has said that William brought immense joy to their lives and that the memories of their final hours together remain especially meaningful.

Her daughter, Annabel Hunnings, followed her mother into the culinary world and trained at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu cookery school. The pair later worked together on a family food business that produced dressings, chutneys, sauces and baking mixes before the company was sold in 2014.

Berry’s eldest son, Thomas, pursued a different path and became a tree surgeon.

Today, the television star is also a grandmother to five children. Thomas is father to twin daughters, while Annabel has three children of her own. Berry has frequently spoken about the joy she finds in spending time with her grandchildren and maintaining strong family bonds.

Despite decades in the public eye, Berry continues to balance professional success with a deeply personal story of resilience, family devotion and enduring popularity among audiences across generations.