Fantasy Bakes

Give a writer a gift; a villain as old as Batman with no name or origins upon which they may create a character. The Joker has the potential to become to future generations of actor as defining a role as any Shakespearean villain. I love each and every Joker just a little in his own special way and would love ... Read More

She is the Queen of Burlesque and a style icon. If Dita Von Teese has made any other woman feel as good about themselves as she has made me feel – though her embracing of her looks and celebration of her body – then she deserves all the cake! You see, it’s not about how big or small, how tanned ... Read More

I’ve always lacked the nerve to meet my heroes and had always believed that you should never meet them. Then I met my Husband whose love of The Cure led to precious time spent with the band over the last 30+ years, which makes me question my stance on this. The Cure are icons and are also surprisingly lovely. I ... Read More

She-Ra was something different; she was a girl like I was a girl. The 1980s original She-Ra may be far from woke but the overall image of a woman saving the day was a good one to grow up on. This is the story of She-Ra and of one little girl growing up believing that she too could defeat the ... Read More

You wanted the best and you got the best… the hottest band in the world: KISS! I am a proud member of the KISS Army and joined my fellow cadets watching this amazing band bid a fiery farewell to worldwide touring. What is it about KISS that makes them so special? You will have to listen as I explain why ... Read More

As host of the Emmy Award winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul has done so much over the past decade to increase the visibility of LGBTQ+ people and issues on TV. As a cis-gender straight woman who sees herself as an ally, being afforded the chance to peak behind the velvet curtain and learn is something that I am grateful to ... Read More

Loving Marilyn Monroe is bitter sweet; no-one can make me laugh like she can and I have wanted to look like her when I grow up ever since I can remember. I would kill for her wardrobe but I would not want to walk in her shoes. There are so many reasons why I would love to bake a cake ... Read More

As we celebrate 30 years of Take That, this is a love letter to a band that has been present in my life since I was ten years old. Take That have managed to anticipate every stage of my life and hitch themselves to that waggon. This is rare in a band. There has been music that has been present ... Read More

She may be a fictional character but that makes her no less inspirational. The lead character in Legally Blonde, Elle Woods sets an example of working hard to overcome adversity, carving out your own space in the world, and being successful on your own terms. Her example proved invaluable to me when I slipped into a terrible funk a few ... Read More

Hers is the voice of hope, resistance, and resilience in the face of despair. Hers was the voice of comfort to those away fighting and to those on the homefront. In terms of Fantasy Bakes, Dame Vera Lynn is one of those national treasures who I hold so dear. Many of us will have known her voice passed down to ... Read More

The story of Nell Gwyn was the Cinderella tale of its age, the actress who captured the heart of a King. Over 300 years of storytelling, Nell Gwyn has become something of a mythical creature with whom I am entirely fascinated. In this week’s episode of Fantasy Bakes, I tell tales of Nell Gwyn and exploring why her legend endures. ... Read More

Groucho Marx may as well have been a blood relative – I saw more of him growing up than I did of many family members! You think I am exaggerating? Ask my parents and my little Brother. We watched Marx Brothers films all the time and I have always found it difficult to share this passion with my peers as ... Read More

Are you surprised that I am a fan of Lady Gaga? No, I thought not. I admire hard work more than anything so, watching Gaga’s OSCAR acceptance speech, in which she reminded everyone at home that success needs working at, made me love her even more. Maybe it’s time to revisit those platinum bangs that I had in 2009… Listen ... Read More

In September 2012 the bones of King Richard III were discovered beneath a council car park in Leicester. This discovery has enabled us to look into the face of a man who has suffered from one heck of a bad PR campaign over the last 500 years. We are now able to reconsider the History books using all of the ... Read More

Can you be a true fan if you enjoy watching a tribute band? I love David Bowie and I love Absolute Bowie. I believe that a good tribute band is a very good thing and that a great tribute band is to be cherished and enjoyed as often as possible. There is a magic in live performance of music – ... Read More

In this week’s Fantasy Bake, I would love to bake a cake for Christopher Reeve AKA Superman. The two are entirely interchangeable to me. I’m using my expensive film degree to express my adoration for Superman: The Movie (Richard Donner, 1978) and the man who will forever embody truth, justice, and the American way. I think we all need heroes, ... Read More

The soundtrack to my adolescence and the last of the great British analogue music scenes, Britpop was a movement in which being a girl in a band started to feel normal. I would love to bake a cake for… Louise Wener and the women of Britpop. This podcast also features an interview with the legendary DJ, Steve Lamacq. Strong female ... Read More

It seems fitting to begin this podcast series at the beginning and begin where I began, with my very first Fantasy Bake. I would love to bake a cake for… Nigella Lawson. You can read the original blog posts that inspired this podcast here: On Idolatry I Would Love to Bake a Cake for… Nigella Lawson On Idolatry Again We ... Read More

It would be rude to start a podcast without introducing myself properly, right? In this introductory episode, I introduce myself and Fantasy Bakes in the hope that you will join me on this feeder’s flight of fancy. Listen and subscribe on iTunes today to be the first to hear new episodes coming soon. Stay gorgeous! Cxx

New for 2019… it’s Fantasy Bakes! The next incarnation of a crazy idea that I once had which became my regular Monday blog posts is now a PODCAST! Yes, Fantasy Bakes is coming very soon and you will be the first to hear each tasty bite-sized morsel. In each episode I will talk about someone who I would love to ... Read More