'Did she just say "A spankingly good cookie?"' Viewers of the US version of Bake Off go crazy for Mary Berry's accent - but the Queen of Cakes fails to boost ratings

  • Viewers tuning into the first episode of The Great American Baking Show on ABC in the US took to Twitter to say they were smitten by Mary Berry's British accent 
  • Fans loved the 81-year-old baking doyenne's witty - and plummy - observations 
  • Mary is co-judging for the series with New York pastry chef Johnny Luzzini 
  • Ratings for the show failed to rise though, with just 4.61million tuning in  

By Jo Tweedy For Mailonline

Published: 04:21 EST, 6 December 2016 | Updated: 04:32 EST, 6 December 2016

Mary Berry's appearance on the American version of Bake Off has left fans besotted with her English accent - even if she hasn't managed to electrify the show's viewing figures.

The 81-year-old grande dame of British baking has joined ABC's The Great American Baking Show as a judge and is both baffling and beguiling fans with her witty observations. 

However, while Mary's plummy vowels are an obvious hit, the adoration on Twitter hasn't translated into viewing figures with the first episode pulling in a lowly 4.61 million viewers.

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Do you know what a soggy bottom is, my dear? Baking grande dame Mary Berry, 81, has wowed viewers of The Great American Baking Show with her accent 

We love your accent! Mary's perfectly clipped English vowels have gone down a storm with viewers - even if the rest of the show hasn't

The sport-loving Americans chose instead to tune into Thursday Night Football, which attracted 16 million viewers, when the show aired last week.

The Great American Baking Show is ABC's second attempt to make the US audience fall in love with a format that has proved a huge hit worldwide.

Re-runs of the UK version proved more successful across the pond than The American Baking Competition and producers were hoping that Mary Berry would be vital to helping viewers finally get on board with a US version of the show.

Mary teams up with celebrated New York pastry chef Johnny Luzzini to judge the contestants who, just like in the UK version, try and cook up a storm in a tent.

For those who were watching, there was only ever likely to be one star of the show.

‏@kelswhoelse90gushed: 'I am only about to watch the #GreatAmericanBakingShow because of #MaryBerry'

@CookiesSangria was also cynical about tuning in, saying: 'The things I'm willing to watch for Mary Berry... #GreatAmericanBakingShow.' 

Hollywood, but not with Paul: Mary and her co-judge on the show, Johnny Luzzini

The rise and rise of Mary: Berry, 80, appears on a new series of US cookery show The Great American Baking Show, which airs on ABC on December 1st

Not the same! Mel and Sue were missed by American fans who'd previously been tuning into actual re-runs of The Great British Bake Off

She's our secret ingredient! The bakers, judges and hosts on the latest series of The Great American Baking Show

However, once Mary's dry wit kicked in, fans were quick to show their adoration on Twitter.  

 ‏@JVMu1999 wrote: '"A spankingly good cookie." I'm going to start talking like #MaryBerry.' 

@MattFishman said: 'I would pay Mary Berry $200 for her to say "a very good sponge".'

‏@GidgetAnne was also tickled by the accent: 'Mary Berry trying to say "snickerdoodle" is my favorite thing about #GreatAmericanBakingShow so far.' 

@_SouthernBaby added: 'Not enough of you are watching #MaryBerry and you really don't know what you're missing...' 

Others tuning in felt that the show was lacking another vital ingredient: British hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. 

Mel and Sue are replaced by husband and wife team Nia Vardalos and Ian Gomez.

‏@morglaur wrote: 'I really wish they imported Mel and Sue with Mary. It's just not the same without them. #GreatAmericanBakingShow'

‏@sithwitch agreed: '#GreatAmericanBakingShow is no #GBBO but it still scratches that sweet sweet itch.' 

Same tent, different country: Mary appears alongside New York pastry chef Johnny Luzzini, pictured right, on the US version of the show

Plenty were smitten with MB, with one user, @kelsaed, calling her 'my spirit animal'

Technical challenge: Mary, wearing a pink woollen biker jacket offers her verdict on the bakers' efforts

‏@mkbruin added: 'Try as you might #GreatAmericanBakingShow, you still don't have funny hosts. We need #melandsue.'

Mary hung up her apron on the British version of the show in September, after it was announced that the popular baking show had been sold by Love Productions to Channel Four. 

However, the bright lights of Los Angeles have managed to woo Mary across the pond. 

And with her sage observations and colourful outfits, Berry had appeared set to succeed where former co-judge Paul Hollywood faltered. 

Hollywood starred on The American Baking Competition in 2013 but the programme proved a baking fail, not least because Hollywood embarked upon an affair with co-host Marcela Valladolid. 

Feast your eyes: Mary's last Bake Off appearance in the UK, with GBBO 2016 winner Candice Brown

Crumbled: Mel and Sue announced they would not be joining Channel 4 is September; Mary followed suit shortly afterwards while Paul Hollywood announced he will judge on the new incarnation of Bake Off

HOW MARY BERRY HAS BECOME A NATIONAL TREASURE 

Mary Berry secured a spot as a national treasure

Mary Berry secured a spot as a national treasure when she joined co-judge Paul Hollywood on the first series of The Great British Bake Off in 2010.

The veteran TV cook has been at the centre of many memorable moments during her time on the show, from 'soggy bottoms' to fondant-related death stares, and her penchant for a trendy jacket.

Here are some of Berry's highlights as she announces she is leaving the popular baking show when it moves from the BBC to Channel 4.

Soggy bottoms

Berry is perhaps best known for her kind yet critical judgments on the bakers' attempts. Her most famous sign of disapproval is to remark on a bake - usually an undercooked pastry - with a 'soggy bottom'. On a show known for its cheeky innuendos, this is the standout, and Berry also made reference to it in her official statement announcing her departure from the series.

Boozy doughnuts

Berry has won legions of fans for her fondness of bakes that include alcohol, and in the fifth series she was incredibly impressed with baker Luis Troyano's boozy doughnuts.

After taking a sip of the rum-laced cocktail doughnut, Berry pulled a delighted face and said: 'I mean, why are we bothering with the doughnuts?'

Her reaction has since been captured and recreated in gifs and memes across social media.

After Noon Plus Picture shows Mary Berry, cookery writer and television cook demonstrating a new type of stuffing for turkeys and also a new method of carving it in 1979

Sausage jokes

During the latest episode of Bake Off, a social media stir was caused as contestant Candice Brown handed Berry a large black pudding sausage. The octogenarian judge showed some gusto as she gladly took the foodstuff in her hand as Brown told her to 'feel the weight of that'.

Style icon

By the third series of Bake Off, Berry had secured her place as an unlikely style icon as she swapped cardigans for trendy and often brightly coloured blazers. In 2014, during a broadcast of the programme, a printed jacket from Marks & Spencer had sold out in one hour due to Berry wearing it on the episode.

Mary Berry, with her husband Paul Hunnings, after she became a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2012

Berry's horrified 'death stare'

In series five, Berry made headlines for her ice-cold, unimpressed gaze, directed at baker Enwezor Nzegwu in reaction to the use of store-bought fondant in his 3D biscuit scene Showstopper piece. It was dubbed the 'fondant death stare' on social media, and Nzegwu was eliminated from the Bake Off tent at the end of the episode.

The great Jaffa Cake debate

The debut episode of the current series saw Berry chastise Hollywood for dipping a Jaffa Cake into his tea before eating it, leaving fans on social media in hysterics.

Unimpressed, she told him: 'We don't do that in the south, you know.'

Berry's cheeky innuendos

As well as her 'soggy bottom', Berry is known for her use of an innuendo almost as much as presenters Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc. One such moment saw her commenting while whisking egg whites: 'There it is looking perfectly stiff.' 

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