Great British Bake Off contestant Val Stones has revealed what life was like before she starred on the show and her advice to the latest batch of would-be star bakers.
The former headteacher, who appeared in the seventh season of the hit show in 2016, has spoken out about her new philosophy which has changed her life.
The cake enthusiast has revealed that before finding fame on the show, she was being driven into an early retirement after struggling in a job that was taking years off her life.
But Val, who now runs cooking demos and and appears at food festivals wants to help this year’s batch of contestants and has issued a warning.
The star explained: ‘I won’t go into detail about how the effects of being a headteacher causes years to be knocked off life expectancy.
‘Instead, I will say that after 19 years in management as a headteacher working 12-hour days, six days a week, I initially decided to retire at the age of 56. It was the best thing I ever did for many reasons.’
Val explained that she was relieved not to have to get up at six in the morning or devote weekends to marking.
But after retiring Val was still in need of something to occupy her time and so she took on some supply teaching work.
And it wasn’t until she was inundated with compliments by colleagues over her baked goods that she realised she could stop teaching altogether and start on a completely different career path.
She said: ‘I have always been a risk taker to see what I can achieve. Applying for Bake Off seemed a good idea.
‘The rest is history. I spent five weeks in the GBBO tent and touched the hearts of millions with my bakes and passion for baking.’
The star baker also revealed that contestants are briefed before taking part that after donning their aprons and stepping in to the famous white tent, their lives would never be the same again.
And although Val was one of the recipients of such a talk, she laughed off the producers warnings.
‘The producers give a sort of pep talk when your time in the tent is over; the bakers are told that once the programme airs, life will never be the same again,’ she said.
‘We all laughed – but how little we knew. They were right; life has never been the same since.’
After Bake Off Val sat down with her brother in law and planned her next career move which involved a recipe book for her grandchildren and to raise money for charities close to her heart.
The baker has now started taking on paid work to fund her charities and has even started her own Instagram page.
Now, Val’s time is spent taking part in food festivals, demonstrating, baking, and chatting about life after Bake Off.
She gushed: ‘I meet up with other bakers at these events and it’s like being with family.
‘I work with Stannah to promote positive lifestyles in later life and all the hobbies and baking that comes with it and working with a building company to have show homes smelling of fresh bakes.
‘I am most proud of my charitable activities. I am an Ambassador for The Royal Osteoporosis Society, having severe osteoporosis myself.
‘My body is full of so much Titanium from broken bones and a hip replacement that airport x-ray machines go frantic as I go through.’
Val is also a patron of St. Margaret’s Hospice South West and she and a friend have even walked 70 miles along the Great Wall of China in six days, raising nearly £15,000 for charity.
Reflecting, she added: ‘I will soon be 74. I often think what might I be doing now had I not been on Bake-off? Well, I would probably support charities with baking.
‘I would probably be working in a charity shop. I may have taken up knitting and painting again. I would most likely lie in in the mornings, I would still wear jeans and watch Bake Off.
‘However, I took the path less taken and now I will never retire. I’m writing a second book with bakes and memories, but I’m still learning and developing recipes. My husband and I love travelling and will continue to do so as long as we are able.’
Val concluded: ‘I have the philosophy that you are never too old to learn and whenever something new comes my way I consider whether it inspires me to follow my passions and if it does, I will put my hand up! Long may it continue.’