Viewers slam Great British FAKE Off as favourite Marie trained at prestigious

Despite her experience, Marie said in a show Q&A she was “in awe” of Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood during filming.

She is then reported to have gone on to run a school for chefs and a cupcake baking business.

The contestant’s past was hinted at in her bio on the GBBO website, which states: ‘Marie’s children claim at one point their mum couldn’t even boil an egg – so she’s come a long way.

The article also said Marie has hosted classes for aspiring chefs in Glasgow before running the award-winning Duisdale House Hotel and restaurant on the Isle of Skye. 66 year old Marie Campbell who was named star baker in the first episode of the show last Wednesday (thanks to her Madeira cake and Black Forest gateau) has been accused of not being an “amateur” baker and receiving professional training.

But the 66-year-old has come a long way since – it has emerged she was trained professionally by world renowned Ecole Escoffier at the Paris Ritz.

And when she returned to Scotland, she opened her own online bakery business – Mrs Campbell’s cupcakes – at her home in Auchterarder.

And the BBC added: “There are strict criteria to take part in the show and Marie met that criteria. She fell in love with baking, specialising in elaborate, show-stopping decorations”. She gained a certificate for one week’s training in Paris in 1984, more than 10 years ago.

Previous baking stars from the show have defended Marie over the scandal. She has also already been tipped by Ladbrokes as the favourite to win the competition, which has always prided itself on being a contest that pits amateurs with a passion for baking against each other, rather than professional chefs.

Divisional sales excluding petrol increased by 1.4% last week (to August 1) compared to the year-ago period for Waitrose.

“I think it’s a load of fuss over nothing”.

The Great British Bake Off contestants.