"If in doubt, spray it with glitter." Briony May Williams on going sober, wedding cake disasters and life after Bake Off

It wasn’t a dramatic decision, but one that’s had a powerful impact. “I’m in a really good place, kind of physically, emotionally. It’s been an incredibly positive change in my life.”

Briony’s approach to sobriety is refreshingly down-to-earth. “I would never preach to anyone. I only talk about it unless I’m asked.” She’s also created a separate Instagram page, Gloriously Sober, to share her experiences and connect with others. “People are messaging me, they’re messaging each other, they’re making recommendations, and I really love that.”

And what about those tricky early days of giving up alcohol? Briony’s advice is simple: “Find a good alternative for the drink that you really like and have it to hand.” She’s a fan of sparkling tea and kombucha, and always carries a little bottle of squash in her handbag. “If they haven’t got any decent drinks, I’ll just have water and sometimes after a while I’m a bit bored of water. I just put my Robinson’s squash in.”

“I’ve only ever made wedding cakes for people I love”

Briony might be best known for her baking, but even the most experienced cake makers have their moments. “One of my best friends got married years ago now, and her wedding was in Devon,” she recalls. “When we got to the venue, opened up the bottom tier and all the icing had melted off.”

With the groom watching in horror, Briony kept her cool. “I was prepared – I took my piping bag and loaded my equipment down with me with some spare icing. So I basically scraped all the icing off, re-piped it on and then sprayed loads of edible glitter on it. If in doubt, spray it with glitter.”

She didn’t tell the bride until weeks later. “I was thinking if she found out...”

These days, Briony only makes wedding cakes for those closest to her. “I’ll only make it for people I care about because I want to put the amount of love into it and the care. And I don’t have enough to give to some random stranger for their wedding cake.”

“I just don’t eat a lot of cake”

Despite her baking credentials, Briony admits she’s not constantly surrounded by sweet treats. “By the time I’ve finished it, I’m like, somebody else eat it, please.”

Instead, she gets joy from feeding others. “As soon as I’ve made something, I’ll give a slice to my husband, to my daughter. They always appear when the offcuts are happening.”

Her love of baking began during a tough time. “In 2013, I was off work. I wasn’t very well… The nurse from my school said, why don’t you try baking or knitting or something?” Knitting didn’t stick, but baking did. “Then I made my brother, for his 30th birthday, I made him a minion cake. And it came out really well.”

That cake led to novelty bakes, then more ambitious creations – and eventually, Bake Off. “People kept saying you should apply. I was like, don’t be ridiculous. But yeah, and then ended up getting on, which I still find baffling.”

“People still talk about it 13 years later”

When asked about her favourite dish, Briony doesn’t hesitate – it’s the food from her wedding. “It was a buffet. Controversial. But it wasn’t like sausage rolls and chicken legs. It was slow roasted leg of lamb, and the sea bass, and all these seasonal salads.”

The chef was given free rein. “We basically just said to Greg, do whatever you want. Because we trusted him so much.” The result?“The whole room just smelt like this incredible lamb… It was so good.”

In the evening, guests were treated to “posh kebabs” with homemade breads and salads. “People still say now, the food at your wedding was amazing.”

“I’ve always had that approach to life”

Briony’s warmth and humour are matched by a fierce resilience. Born with a limb difference, she credits her mum for instilling a strong sense of independence.

“I was never kind of mollycoddled. My mum – it was hard because, you know, I was born in the eighties. There was no representation, no help for my mum. But she would sort of say, if you can’t do it that way, let’s try a different way.”

That mindset has shaped her outlook. “I think people who are living with disabilities are natural problem solvers. Because every day you face something… and it just makes you a natural problem solver.”

It’s something she’s now passing on to her own daughter. And it’s part of what makes her such a relatable and inspiring presence, whether she’s on screen or sharing a quiet moment over a cup of sparkling tea.

What’s next for Briony? More presenting, more studying (she’s currently doing a Level 4 qualification in nutrition), and hopefully more chances to connect with people. “Even now, seven years since I was on Bake Off, it still doesn’t feel real that I get to do this as my day to day… Every opportunity that comes along feels like such a blessing.”