Prue Leith Quits Great British Bake Off After 9 Seasons As A Judge

Prue Leith has announced that she will not be returning to the Great British Bake Off.

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, Prue – who has been with Bake Off since it made the jump to Channel 4 in 2017 – enthused: “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 [Hollywood], Alison [Hammond] and Noel [Fielding] and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4.”

She continued: “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.”

A post on Bake Off’s official social media pages also read: “Our wonderful Prue has decided to step away from judging Bake Off.

“From joyful judging to colourful fits to accidental innuendoes, you are simply the best and will be so missed. Please join us in wishing Prue the very best and thanking her for nine brilliant years in the Tent.”

Prue became Paul Hollywood’s co-judge ahead of Bake Off’s first season on Channel 4 back in 2017, taking over the slot from Mary Berry.

Last year, it was announced that she’d be reducing her commitments within the Bake Off tent by no longer judging the show’s celebrity specials.

Since then, she has been replaced on Bake Off’s celebrity series by Caroline Waldegrave, the managing director of Leith’s School of Food and Wine, founded by Prue in 1975, who has also co-written several cook books associated with the brand.

The Great British Bake Off will return for its 17th series in the summer, with a new judge being welcomed into the fold alongside Paul Hollywood and presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.