Mary Berry thinks Sue Perkins is the "bravest" person she knows.

Sue Perkins, Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry and Mel Giedroyc

Sue Perkins, Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry and Mel Giedroyc

The 80-year-old TV presenter has backed her 'Great British Bake Off' co-host to "get through" her health troubles, having recently revealed she's been living with a benign brain tumour for the last eight years.

She said: "Sue Perkins is one of the bravest people I know and the most positive person.

"She will get through it, she is one of my dearest friends."

Meanwhile, Mary admitted she's thrilled with the success of the BBC Two show because it's encouraging more young people to try their hand at baking.

Mary told OK! magazine: "It's popular because it's great family viewing, you know there's going to be no swearing, you know it's going to be good fun and you know you're going to learn something.

"It gets everybody baking, especially the young."

Earlier this month, Sue revealed her devastation when she learned the tumour affected her reproductive hormones.

The 45-year-old TV host - who's dating TV psychologist Anna Richardson - shared: "We live in a time and place where we think everything is possible.

"I don't know if I would have gone on to have children. But as soon as someone says you can't have something, you want it more than anything."

Despite this, Sue considers herself fortunate that the tumour is benign and revealed she manages to restrict the sides effects through medical treatment.

She explained: "I'm lucky that it's benign so it's not in itself a worrying thing.

"Sometimes it's big and makes me mad, and sometimes it's small and is in the background.

"Sometimes it screws up my hormones. I have various tests now to make sure the side effects aren't too onerous."