The remarkable polio journey of Mary Berry

Dame Mary Berry celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this year and has recently reflected on her remarkable life and career in several interviews.

With more than seventy years of experience in the kitchen, Mary Berry has become a beloved presence on British television and is widely regarded as the nation’s baking icon.

Born in March 1935, Mary first learned to bake at home under the guidance of her mother. At the age of 17, she honed her skills at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her training marked the beginning of a stellar career as a cookery writer and broadcaster. Over the decades, she has published more than 70 cookbooks, enjoyed by millions around the globe.

Mary contracted polio at the age of 13, a significant and formative event in her early life. She became ill in 1948 and spent a month in isolation and 10 week on a hospital ward recovering.

"I was put in a room with glass either side and couldn't lift my head or my body. It was quite frightening. Your parents couldn't come in and hug you because it was infectious. I could see their anxious faces through the doors, and I thought, Am I going to get better?" she told a reporter.

The disease left her with a slightly curved spine and a slightly weaker and thinner left arm and hand, something that is still visible today. Despite this physical setback, she has spoken about how the experience made her more independent and resilient. In interviews, she has recalled how her father encouraged her to do as much as possible on her own during recovery, which helped build her confidence and determination.

Mary has often reflected on how overcoming polio shaped her outlook on life, instilling a strong sense of perseverance, qualities that clearly played a role in her long and successful career.

Rather than letting the polio virus define or limit her, Mary used it as motivation to push forward, eventually becoming one of the most respected and beloved figures in British food and television.

In recognition of her contribution to the culinary arts, Mary was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s 2012 Birthday Honours.