Mary Berry: Sons Death Inspired Cooking Career

has revealed how her son William's death sparked her cooking career as she opened up on how her family has kept his memory alive for 37 years.

The former judge, 91, tragically lost her 19-year-old boy in a car accident in 1989 while visiting home from Bristol University. 

She admitted that having people come to her house to teach them to cook helped her through the grieving process.

Speaking on the Happy Place podcast, the TV icon said that being invited to the reminded her that she had to go outside and continue with her life.

Mary said: 'It was when we lost William, our son. I didn't really want to go to London to work again. I wanted to stay with my husband.

'And I thought, what can I do from home? I had an aga for most of our married lives. And I thought, well, I do know more about agas than most people.

'And it's a different technique to cook with an aga. So we started these aga classes and Lucy Young came and we did it together.

'I used to do the morning demonstrations. She did the afternoon. We had it for 12 years and I did every single session.

'I didn't ever get anybody else in. They'd come to see me cook and I would be there. I wouldn't actually remember their names.

'Lucy used to be by the door and put a sticking label saying, 'Jane Brown'. So when they eventually came through to coffee, I would say good morning Jane.

'And she would think, oh she's remembered my name. It was just because she had a label. Because I'm not very good at remembering names.'

She continued: 'It kept me busy. And I had my husband and other children around me.

'And I think the one thing we've all told ourselves, how lucky we were to have had William. And what a wonderful like he'd given us. And you know, I mean, it's many years now.

'It's 30 years since he died. I mean every Christmas we're still saying, you know, having a drink to Will, and our grandchildren all say he was very good at sport.

'And I know Hobie (Mary's grandson aged 18) was saying when he was doing so well at rugby, William would have been proud of me, wouldn't he?

'You know it's really nice. And there are pictures of him all around. And even though the grandchildren didn't know him, they all know about him.

'But some people don't want to do that. They want to forget it and have a new life but he is still part of our lives.

'There's no rule with grief at all. And I know when friends, many of my friends at my age are losing the other half.

'And I always talk about them or find something nice to say. And I think people like that.

'I know I did. I loved it if people came up and said, oh Will was such a smashing chap. Wasn't he a good tennis player or whatever?

'And I'm proud. And I think if there is a sadness in the family to find something nice to say about them or something we remember about them, it helps people pass the time.'

Earlier this year, Mary paid a heartfelt tribute to her late son as she was honoured with British Academy Television Awards's highest accolade.

The TV icon delivered a heartfelt speech as she was award the Bafta Fellowship - honouring her career which has spanned six decades.

Mary thanked beloved husband Paul, 94, who was watching at home, children Annabel, 56, Thomas, 58, as well as William.

She said: 'I'm a teacher so I feel very honoured to be given BAFTAs highest award. It seems no time at all that I left Bath High School with just two O levels in needlework and cookery.'

'Bake Off came along and my whole world changed. It was about those jackets and I could tuck a hot water bottle underneath because the tent was so cold in the morning first thing. I see myself as a teacher and television is the biggest classroom there is.

She then thanked her husband and children, adding: 'William is in heaven but I thank him.'

She previously spoke about her late son William's car accident on the Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth podcast, revealing her daughter Annabel was also in the car.

She said: 'He asked if he could borrow a sports car, which he was insured for, and I said, "You ask your dad".

'Anyway, he took his sister with him, and he just drove too fast, which was so unlike him.

'William was the one that you could rely on. When the phone rang after he was killed, everybody said, "I'm so sorry to hear about Thomas", because Thomas was our wild one. I knew when the policemen came through the door. I remember saying to him, "It must be an awful thing for you to tell us all".

'It was a huge sadness but there was a bonus because Annabel [survived]. We had to go down to Wycombe hospital - they didn't tell us then because the policemen didn't know, so we went down.