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Diana Beard's doctor enters Great British Bake Off row Diana Beard's doctor enters Great British Bake Off row
(about 3 hours later)
The doctor of Diana Beard, the Great British Bake Off contestant at the centre of the baked alaska controversy, has defended her decision to leave the programme in an attempt to diffuse the public backlash against her. The doctor of Diana Beard, the Great British Bake Off contestant at the centre of the baked alaska controversy, has defended her decision to leave the programme in an attempt to defuse the public backlash against her.
Dr Kieran Redman said Beard had paid "a heavy price" for participating in the reality TV show and said the social media attacks on her were a sound reason for people not to take part in such programmes.Dr Kieran Redman said Beard had paid "a heavy price" for participating in the reality TV show and said the social media attacks on her were a sound reason for people not to take part in such programmes.
The 69-year-old was accused of sabotaging rival contestant Iain Watters' baked alaska after she took it out of the freezer. He ended up throwing the melted concoction in the bin.The 69-year-old was accused of sabotaging rival contestant Iain Watters' baked alaska after she took it out of the freezer. He ended up throwing the melted concoction in the bin.
Watters was voted off the show by judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood after he presented the bin when they asked to see his dessert. His departure sparked a Twitter campaign for his return with the hashtags #BringIainBack and #justiceforiain.Watters was voted off the show by judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood after he presented the bin when they asked to see his dessert. His departure sparked a Twitter campaign for his return with the hashtags #BringIainBack and #justiceforiain.
The controversy also whipped up anger against Beard, who left the show after being injured in a fall before the next episode was filmed.The controversy also whipped up anger against Beard, who left the show after being injured in a fall before the next episode was filmed.
Beard has said the editing suggested she had sabotaged Watters' dessert, but that it was out of the freezer for less than a minute.Beard has said the editing suggested she had sabotaged Watters' dessert, but that it was out of the freezer for less than a minute.
Redman, a GP from Whitchurch in Shropshire, confirmed Beard's account that a head injury deprived her of her sense of taste and smell, forcing her to quit.Redman, a GP from Whitchurch in Shropshire, confirmed Beard's account that a head injury deprived her of her sense of taste and smell, forcing her to quit.
In a letter to the Telegraph, Redman said Beard had asked him to "set the medical record straight" about her departure from the show.In a letter to the Telegraph, Redman said Beard had asked him to "set the medical record straight" about her departure from the show.
He said she lost consciousness after a restaurant meal with the other contestants, and banged her head on a stone floor, leaving her with neurological problems. She was diagnosed with concussion, and brain scans determined that the olfactory nerve, which transmits taste and smell to the brain, had been completely severed.He said she lost consciousness after a restaurant meal with the other contestants, and banged her head on a stone floor, leaving her with neurological problems. She was diagnosed with concussion, and brain scans determined that the olfactory nerve, which transmits taste and smell to the brain, had been completely severed.
The GP said he had advised the programme's producers that his patient would need time to recover before starting to bake again, but they told him she would not be allowed to miss two episodes, which forced her departure.The GP said he had advised the programme's producers that his patient would need time to recover before starting to bake again, but they told him she would not be allowed to miss two episodes, which forced her departure.
"As Diana's GP I am fully aware of the medical reasons for her inability to continue in the series. She has asked me to make these reasons clear, because of the inferences drawn by some commentators, that her withdrawal from the programme was linked to the exit of Iain," he wrote."As Diana's GP I am fully aware of the medical reasons for her inability to continue in the series. She has asked me to make these reasons clear, because of the inferences drawn by some commentators, that her withdrawal from the programme was linked to the exit of Iain," he wrote.
"Not only has she been unfairly accused of wrongdoing by the media but she has lost her senses of taste and smell due to a freak accident. In my view, if ever there were a reason not to take part in a reality TV show, here is a sound one.""Not only has she been unfairly accused of wrongdoing by the media but she has lost her senses of taste and smell due to a freak accident. In my view, if ever there were a reason not to take part in a reality TV show, here is a sound one."
"Ever since this head injury, Diana has been unable to smell or taste anything. She had a number of investigations, including a CT scan and a MRI scan of her head. These showed that the nerve from the nose, the olfactory nerve, which transmits taste and smell to the brain, had been completely severed as a result of the impact.""Ever since this head injury, Diana has been unable to smell or taste anything. She had a number of investigations, including a CT scan and a MRI scan of her head. These showed that the nerve from the nose, the olfactory nerve, which transmits taste and smell to the brain, had been completely severed as a result of the impact."
Neurosurgeons had said there was no treatment available to repair the damaged nerve.Neurosurgeons had said there was no treatment available to repair the damaged nerve.
"If she is very lucky she may regain these senses but this would take many months, if it happens at all," he wrote."If she is very lucky she may regain these senses but this would take many months, if it happens at all," he wrote.
The controversy surrounding the episode helped the show gain its biggest ever audience of 10.25 million viewers, including those who watched it on iPlayer. More than 800 viewers complained to the BBC and a baker's dozen – 13 – complained to Ofcom, with 12 of them concerned at the apparent sabotage of Watters' dessert.The controversy surrounding the episode helped the show gain its biggest ever audience of 10.25 million viewers, including those who watched it on iPlayer. More than 800 viewers complained to the BBC and a baker's dozen – 13 – complained to Ofcom, with 12 of them concerned at the apparent sabotage of Watters' dessert.