I was disappointed, because I didn’t get my chance to shine. My real passion is bread, I bake it all the time but my weakness as a Baker is biscuits, so I am sorry that Paul didn’t get to taste my speciality – focaccias. I would repeat it all in a heartbeat, how could you not enjoy the feeling of being in the tent. I was in the enviable position that I am sure a lot of people would have loved to have been in.
I avoid negativity and I always try and look on the brighter side rather than the bad. You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start off all over again, like the song. It’s the way I have been brought up – keep calm and carry on. So I really enjoyed my ride on the bake off even though I got off early.
I started raising money baking cakes for coffee mornings, I wanted to make them extra tasty so people would buy them and raise money for the charity. That was 10 years ago, and then people started asking me in the salon to make cakes for them, and from there I went onto making bread which became a passion.
Bara Brith [which I made in the programme] is a very popular request and it is special to me because it encompasses all things Welsh and its history. It’s a nice fruit cake to have with a cup of tea, and I made the sheep biscuits to watch last night’s episode. ‘The best part of being in the tent was meeting Paul and Mary, especially Mary as I think she is an amazing woman, and Mel & Sue for the support and laughs. Also the backstage crew at Love Productions who help us along the way are a lovely bunch of people who are brilliant at what they do. It was an amazing experience.
My worst moment were my disasters – the gingerbread house was an A1 disaster – it absolutely completely self destructed and I just had to take a mess up to Paul and Mary. I laugh at it now but it was devastating at the time, I think I could have got top marks for a cake disaster award. ‘My sheep biscuits were uneven, I made a lot of them, I dropped the tray and they ended up on the floor. I bake them absolutely perfect at home and I think I just had a bad day.
I will be getting married next year but I won’t be making a gingerbread cake. I based the cake on a beautiful church I know in Wales but that was my imaginary wedding. I won’t be getting married there I just want a simple low-key wedding, a more casual event that will suit my personality better.
I balance my hairdressing with baking as I am able to choose my own shifts. The salon is in Cardiff and I will continue hairdressing but I also want to extend my baking. My dream one day is to have a tapas bar with a deli where I can do my bread and pastries somewhere in the city centre.
I can’t wait to see the rest of the show. I will be supporting my friends as they are a great bunch of people.
My friends and family are very proud and they think it’s a fantastic achievement and are all really looking forward to seeing An Extra Slice. I am a Jo Brand fan and have seen her live quite a few times in Cardiff, I love her sense of humour and the way she just gets life.