Lorraine Pascale reminisces about modelling with Kate Moss in the 90s

With a highly successful career in baking and numerous TV shows under her belt, you’d think Lorraine Pascale would be an expert at spotting a professional baker from a novice, but even she admits the challenge of her latest series left her stumped at times.

“It’s really hard to tell the difference,” says Lorraine, 44, who has gone from being a judge on series one to the host on series two of Bakers Vs Fakers.

“I’d say I get it right about 50 per cent of the time, which I’m not sure is very impressive, is it?!”

“There are some brilliant bakers out there who are sometimes having a not so great day and then some fakers, who are extraordinary.

“They might have other jobs such as lawyer or body builder, but have managed to become very good at baking. Sometimes people have watched so many videos they just know how to do stuff like a professional.”

Bakers Vs Fakers is filmed in New Jersey and Lorraine admits she’s very happy to jet to the States for work as she has a home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and also has fond memories of her modelling days there.

“I used to live here when I was a model, so it’s so nice to be back here, working again. It’s different because I’m doing more hosting which is really great fun as you can really get your character across, I love the energy and excitement.”

And having worked on other US shows including Holiday Baking Championship and Worst Bakers In America, Lorraine is finding herself getting recognised more often across the pond.

“It’s really nice. People come up to me a lot now and say: ‘Oh I love you on this show, or that show,’ and take a selfie,” smiles Lorraine, who has a 20-year-old daughter, Ella.

“I love working in the UK, but it’s also great to be working in America again.”

And Lorraine, who trained at Leith’s School of Food and Wine, still enjoys modelling.

“I do a bit of work in America and in the UK too, in between baking,” she says. “That’s why it’s always my balance – baking and staying slim, which is possible. The trick is to have a little bit!”

Before her professional baking days, Lorraine began her modelling career back in the early 1990s and one famous photoshoot depicts her messing around with Kate Moss.

“We were just two girls trying to get modelling work,” smiles Lorraine. “We were just like: no money and in a car park!”

Lorraine’s modelling career also led to her featuring in “a lot” of music videos, including Robbie Williams’ Millennium, in 1998.

“Robbie’s amazing,” she says. “He’s so talented, his voice is incredible and it was a really fun day, being like a Bond girl. I loved it.”

And while appearing in a Robbie Williams music video might seem the like the highlight of anyone’s career, Lorraine says there’s an event in particular that sticks in her mind, one the rest of us will never get to experience…

“I did the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition and we shot it in the Galapagos Islands where we sailed around the islands in a trimaran for 10 days, that was pretty nice!” she recalls. “When they flew me over from London to New York for the party, they flew me on Concorde – that was one of my finest modelling moments!”

“There’s a clock that tells you when you break the sound barrier and then you hear a little ‘bang’, just as you break through it,” she explains, clearly still excited at the memory.

“You look down and see the curvature of the Earth. I wish I’d had an iPhone then. Everyone around me was in suits and had done it a hundred times before, but I was really excited and collecting the napkins [as a memento]!”

Bakers Vs Fakers Wednesday 9 August 9pm Food Network