Dame Mary Berry made a heartfelt plea to the audience at an awards ceremony as she told a crowd she's "deaf".

While accepting a special award at the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards, held at The Royal Exchange in London, the former judge was reportedly affected by the "raucous" crowd. , 90, requested silence so everyone could be heard, emphasising the significance of the event. She explained: "Please do keep it very, very quiet.

"It's such an important occasion, and you must hear every single person that comes up here. I'm deaf and there are maybe one or two others that also find it difficult to hear everything."

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Mary, who is working on a new show, has spoken about her past health struggles as she detailed her experience with polio, which she contracted at 13. She described herself as "lucky" for only having a mild infection before a vaccine was developed.

However, the condition left one side of her body predominantly impacted, causing lasting damage to one hand – often mistaken for . Mary Berry's journey to culinary stardom wasn't without its hardships, as she reveals spending three months isolated by a glass screen from her parents early in life to ward off infection.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Mary shared insights into how this period influenced her career.

Despite having a twisted spine, Mary insists: "Everybody thinks I've got arthritis. I look a bit funny when I'm rolling pastry, but I have no other difficulties whatsoever."

Her health battles continued in 2021 when she had a fall in her garden that resulted in a broken hip. After surgery, she attributed her recovery of joint movement to playing croquet.

And there's no sign of Mary slowing down. A new show is on the horizon for later this year. An insider disclosed that it will be a "tribute to the Mary's joy of cooking".

The upcoming program, expected to be produced by Sidney Street, the same company behind Foolproof Dinners, promises to blend Mary's cherished memories with her classic recipes.

With five decades on TV and more than 12 million cookbooks sold, Mary's latest venture—a six-part series and accompanying book—is eagerly anticipated for release this autumn.

An unnamed source said: "Mary is a national treasure so what better way to celebrate her than a new series. It'll be a tribute to the Mary's joy of cooking and sharing good food."

Dame Mary's representatives have been contacted for comment.