Mary Berry Reveals Lasting Effects of Childhood Battle with Polio

Dame Mary Berry, the cherished Great British Bake Off star, has shared candid insights into a serious childhood illness that continues to affect her life decades later. Diagnosed with polio as a teenager, Dame Mary recounted her health struggles in a heartfelt conversation on the Lessons From Our Mothers podcast.

Known worldwide for her baking brilliance, Dame Mary developed her culinary passion and expertise during her twenties, studying at the renowned Cordon Bleu in Paris in the 1960s. Her rise to fame included television debuts in the 1970s and a wide-reaching career balancing motherhood, cookbook authorship, and BBC presenting throughout the 1980s.

Despite her public success, the now 90-year-old recalls the terrifying moment she was hospitalized and diagnosed with “infantile paralysis,” the former name for polio. “I remember asking the nurse, who was masked, ‘What’s wrong with me?’” she said. The nurse’s reply left an indelible mark: “You’ve got infantile paralysis. I had no idea what that was.”

Though fortunate to have overcome the immediate dangers of polio, Dame Mary continues to live with its lingering effects. “It’s mostly down the left side. I’ve got a bit of a funny hand—people often think it’s arthritis, but it’s polio—and a slight curve in my spine,” she explained.

Her experience contrasts with others who faced more severe complications, including meningitis, encephalitis, or even death. Thanks to rigorous vaccination efforts, the UK declared polio eradicated in 1984, marking a major public health victory.

Today, symptoms of polio include high fever, fatigue, headaches, vomiting, stiff neck, and muscle pain, according to the NHS. Dame Mary’s resilience and openness about her ongoing challenges continue to inspire many.

Fans can catch Dame Mary’s return to BBC One tonight at 7.30pm as she hosts coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.