The Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry has condemned much of TV for being "violent and cruel" and said that she "hates" Gordon Ramsay's shows.

The 78-year-old, who has published 70 cookery books, returns with baker Paul Hollywood to front the fourth series of the unlikely culinary hit later this month.

She criticised "ghastly" reality programmes and boasted that unlike other TV shows, Bake Off can be watched by young and old.

"The Great British Bake Off is family entertainment. There aren't many programmes where all ages can sit and watch from beginning to end. Everything else is violent, cruel and noisy," she said.

While she made clear that she disapproves of Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares star Ramsay's shows, Berry did praise Jamie Oliver saying: "James (sic) Oliver is a joy. I saw him yesterday and he agreed that when he was 23 he was irritating, bumptious and over-the-top, but he's made cooking fun."

Meanwhile, co-star Paul Hollywood has admitted that he is "upset and sad" about the collapse of his marriage - and that he might have been happier if he had not become famous.

The Great British Bake Off judge left Alexandra, 49, his wife of 15 years, amid an attempt to launch his career in the US.