Ah, the Great British Bake-Off. A genius blend of excess bunting, high drama, pastry bicycles, Desmond Tutu gateaux and unpredictable jackets. Its floury frustrations and soft-whipped sobs utterly grip us in a way that X Factor just never will.
If, like us, you're borderline obsessed with the programme, you are going to love this: Fortnum & Mason, purveyors of luxury deliciousness, are teaming up with the Great British Bake-Off's Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. We know.
The royal-warranted store, which traces back its roots to 1707, is getting all 2013 with an in-store pop-up bakery. Over a 10-week period, national baking treasure Paul Hollywood will be among the guest bakers serving up his own home-baked concoctions as well as hosting master classes in-store. And Mary B herself will making some appearances.
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And it's not just these two baking legends who are involved; the Fortnum pop-up will also be graced with freshly baked cameos from the likes of Mark Hix, Edd Kimber, Stacie Stewart, and Rose and Jack Prince of the Pocket Bakery.
The pop-up bakery will open on Monday January 28, but we recommend you also mark February 26 in your calendar, because that's when Mary Berry will be launching her new book with an afternoon tea in Fortnum’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. Tickets for that are £65, which includes a signed copy of Mary Berry at Home and (we assume) the opportunity to grill the 77-year-old on the thinking behind that awesome floral Zara bomber. Put like that, it's a bargain, right?
The pop-up begins Monday January 28 and runs until the Sunday April 7, at Fortnum and Mason.
Photo: Via the Mirror