Prue Leith thought she could become ‘Friends’ with David Schwimmer - but he was only interested in making his bread and cakes on the Bake Off.
The US star, best known for playing Ross Geller in sitcom Friends will appear on Celebrity Great British Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer with a host of other stars.
They will be judged as ever by Prue and Paul Hollywood over a variety of challenges in the tent.
Prue, 83, said: “Well, he must have been *the* most famous person we had in the tent. And I was very excited about it. What I was surprised about, though, was I thought he’d behave like he behaved as Ross, he’d be like he was in Friends, but he was actually very concentrated and didn’t want to talk to anybody.
"He just wanted to get on baking and he badly wanted to win. He loosened up after a while.”
Asked if his concentration on baking paid off, she added: “I had no expectations for him at all on the food front and so I was very, very impressed. I think his daughter – who is a Bake Off fan and a vegan – influences him a lot.
“He turned out to be much more [knowledgeable] about food than I thought he would be. He was great.”
Earlier this week, the Mirror told how Schwimmer had signed up because he was touched by the fundraising side of the show.
The dad-of-one, 52, said: “I lost a grandmother to cancer, my daughter lost a grandmother to cancer and my sister is a cancer survivor, so it’s important to me.
“I am just grateful I can help in any small way raise more awareness.
“I am here to have fun. I am here to raise money for a great charity. It’s a great cause and I happen to be a massive fan of the show.”
He also said his family, including 11-year-old daughter Cleo, would be rooting for him in the Channel 4 show.
David appears in Celebrity Great British Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer alongside Tom Daley, former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson, actor Rose Matafeo, TV presenter and cancer survivor Adele Roberts, Coleen Nolan, Gemma Collins and Paddy McGuinness.
Prue said of the series: “Do you know I think this has been the best celebrity Bake off so far. For me anyway. And it’s odd, because I am so old, I often don’t know who the younger musicians and comedians and sports people are. But I just loved it because I thought they were a terrific bunch – some of them very famous – and all of them seemed to get on well.
"And I also thought the challenges were nice this time – they weren’t too complicated. The wonderful thing about celebrities is, because most of them are in the arts one way or another, or sports, but mostly arts… they are hugely imaginative.”
Despite describing herself as old, Prue receives thousands of compliments every series on how she looks and her fashion choices, and is known for wearing bright colours.
Asked for her beauty secrets which keep her looking young, Prue said: “Nivea. I could be their ambassador and they could pay me lots and lots of money. I did have a period of buying very expensive anti-wrinkle cream off the internet because I fell for one of those ads, but it’s no different [to cheaper brands].
"Anita Roddick [the late founder of The Body Shop] said that mutton fat was what tribes used to put on their faces in America and mutton fat is just as good as any.”
* Celebrity Great British Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer returns to Channel 4 on Sunday, 7.45pm. To donate, visit standuptocancer.org.uk
