Critic Reviews

It is lovely. Very soothing. Like shop-bought marzipan, the perfect festive filling.

There’s rather too much cookery being demonstrated in this hour-long special. After a while, it all becomes a bit indigestible – like a stodgy Christmas pudding after roast turkey and all the trimmings. I prefer the more bite-sized half-hour tips and tricks Berry delivers in Mary Makes It Easy. That said, I still like Dame Mary better than Jamie Oliver.

Andy Murray looked more cackhand than backhand tasked with chopping herbs for smoked haddock kedgeree. Emeli Sandé has the voice of a mighty angel but that aura rather evaporated in the vicinity of a chocolate log. For the attentive there were some useful culinary tips.

Her programmes are always the same. There's a quiet, neat quality to them.