Briony Williams was one of 12 rivals who duelled it out to become Britain’s best amateur baker on this year’s The Great British Bake Off.
During her period on the Channel 4 demo, she earned kudo for her eats, patties and desserts – even acquiring the coveted entitle of adept baker during pastry week.
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She made it as far as the semi-final – but on social media, she gained adoration for a different reason.
Briony, 33, has a disability – her left to right stops at the wrist.
At no spot did the show mention her disability. In fact, it took about three incidents for spectators to realise.
“People would tweet, ‘I’m sure Briony had a hand last week’, ” she says.
It turns out this was a self-conscious decision between Briony and Channel 4.
“I specified early on that I didn’t are to be able to make a big deal out of it because I just wanted to see how people would end it, ” she says.
And the response was positive.
Sarah Saville tweeted: “Literally burst into tears learning @brionymaybakes in the #GBBO tent because I’ve realised I’d never seen anyone with a little handwriting like me on TV before.”
At first glance, some may think Briony would contend in the Bake Off tent – juggling container and utensils, slicing and kneading – all for the purposes of the watchful eye of adjudicators Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
But Bristol-born Briony never gave what she announces her ‘little hand’ stop her from getting stuck in.
Kitchen spoofs and Kitch the rapper
Listen to the BBC Ouch podcast with The Great British Bake Off’s Briony, Cold Feet’s Ruth Madeley and a rendition from Kitch the rapper.
For more Disability News, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to the weekly podcast.
She refused to do so the offering of using special material, saying she wanted to be treated the same as everyone else.
‘It’s not that I’m embarrassed about it or ashamed of it in any way, ” she says. “I want to be there on my own merit and I don’t want people to think that I’m getting special therapy.
“It was almost kind of trying to prove that just because you’ve got a disability, you can do as well as anyone else.”
Even when her husband Steve indicated she ask for help during the course of its spice-themed week, when she had to use string to create a cookie chandelier, Briony consumed her the resources necessary her advantage.
“I simply did it with a stapler, ” she says. “And everyone was like, ‘Oh, that’s a good idea’. You simply find a way around it.”
Growing up, Briony’s family delighted to see that resourceful streak.
“My mum always had the approach with me – if you can’t do something, simply flesh a way out. I’ve never looked at it like it was any kind of hardship, I precisely had my own way of doing things, ” she says.
Briony’s broiling profession was undertaken in 2013, when she took several months off work for what was later diagnosed as Polycystic ovarian disorder( PCOS ).
A colleague recommended she try cooking as a way to keep her motivated and learn a new science. Briony was up for these new challenges.
“I’m not very good at not is everything, ” she says.
Briony refined her knowledge by watching YouTube tutorials, knowing smart ways to go around any obstacles in the kitchen.
Briony’s kitchen hacks
Don’t be a martyr
If you’re manipulating dough: “You don’t have to be a martyr and manipulate on a worktop if that’s not possible. If you’ve got a stand mixer I would recommend you use that because it will do the kneading for you.
“That doesn’t mean you’re any less of a baker, it time means that you’re exercising equipment.”
Grab yourself a marble flattening bolt
Using a marble rolling bolt is very helpful when “youre trying to” bun pastry very thinly.
“They’re so heavy that they do a good deal of the work for you. You have a lot more limit over what you’re doing because you can use one mitt to do it. They clanged really expensive, but they’re not.”
The bottle trick( really useful for separating egg whites)
Crack an egg into a beaker. Then, using an empty plastic bottle, pinch the air out and deem it over the yolk.
“When you give the breeze back in, it sucks the yolk back into the bottle and then you’re left with the egg white.”
This year, 2018, has been a big year for disability representation in the mainstream media.
Comedian Lost Voice Guy, also known as Lee Ridley, triumphed Britain’s Got Talent. Due to his cerebral palsy he abuses a talking iPad app to speak, same to the paraphernalium scientist Professor Stephen Hawking also used.
And Paralympian Lauren Steadman became the second largest incapacitated entrant to boast on Strictly Come Dancing.
So perhaps we’re at a important turning point in the way disability is represented on television.
By appearing on The Great British Bake Off, Briony proved to herself, and the public, that with a bit curiosity and a few hackers, you can achieve anything.
But she’s clear about one thing relating to her disability: “It’s a part of me , not all of me.”
And in case you were wondering, this year’s rival was prevailed by scientist, Rahul Mandal.
For more Disability News, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to the weekly podcast.
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