After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, Dame Prue Leith DBE has decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off.
Commenting on the decision Prue said, “Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years, I have genuinely loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4. But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden. Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it.”
Love Productions said, “Huge thanks to Prue who has been a brilliant judge on Bake Off and a much-loved presence in the tent for nearly a decade. From her genuine expertise and encouragement of the bakers to her ability to drop innocent innuendos that reduce the entire tent (and the audience at home) to tears of laughter, Prue will always have a piece of Bake Off’s heart.”
Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer Ian Katz, said, “Prue Leith has been a joyous presence in the tent, pairing absolute culinary authority with great generosity and empathy for the bakers. We are grateful for her passion, her wit, her ineffable style, and all the summers she spent in the tent. She leaves an indelible mark on the show and all its bakers. We will miss her wry, gentle judgement but look forward to working with her on new projects.”
The next series of The Great British Bake Off will air on Channel 4 later this year. A new judge will be announced in due course.