5. She still uses a 60-year-old tip when filming her TV shows
Having spent six decades on TV sets and in front of cameras, Mary sure knows what she’s doing when it comes to putting new shows together.
Still, it’s a nugget of wisdom she was given right at the beginning that she swears by to this day: “Whenever I’m filming for television, I always imagine I’m talking to just one person.
“Judith Chalmers gave me this advice, and I still follow it. She said, ‘You’re talking to one person, they might be doing the ironing, they might be feeding their baby at two o’clock, but if you can keep that interest and inspire them to get cooking, they won’t change show.’”
So next time you’re watching Mary and feeling suddenly so reassured and comforted, it’s because she is, actually, talking directly to you.
Sort of.
Originally published October 2025
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