The Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith announced her departure from the show in January and has since been replaced by Nigella Lawson, who will join Paul Hollywood on the judging panel
Dame Prue Leith confirmed she’d be leaving Bake Off earlier this year(Image: Ki Price, Getty Images)
Prue Leith has opened up about the motivation behind her departure from The Great British Bake Off. The 86-year-old confirmed in January that she would be bowing out from the beloved programme after nine years in the judging seat.
At the time, she said in a statement that “now feels like the right time to step back”, noting: “There’s so much I’d like to do.”
Elaborating on what drove her choice, Prue acknowledged she craved fresh challenges.
“I always want to do new stuff, Bake Off was absolutely wonderful and I loved it and I love the people and all the rest of it,” she told Katherine Ryan on her What’s My Age podcast. “But it wasn’t new, every year was exactly the same.”
When the presenter highlighted that nine years represented a substantial commitment to one role, Prue considered her extensive broadcasting history.
“I’m quite a sticker, nine years is quite a long time but, before that, I did The Great British Menu and I did that for 11 years,” she shared.
“So I am quite a stayer and I did love Bake Off and I could have gone on happily doing Bake off because I was enjoying it but, you know, in the end, it was shrinking horizons that forced me into it.”
Prue additionally disclosed her desire to devote more quality time to her husband, John Playfair, and family after years of summer months consumed by recording schedules for the programme.
Discussing her newly acquired free time, she revealed to Heat Magazine: “I’m having a fantastically good time. One of the reasons I gave up Bake Off was so that I could have more of a summer – and more holidays. I’ve already booked a week in France with all my grandchildren and their parents, so that’ll be fun.”
She continued: “I hope to have three weeks in Italy with John, driving down the coast of Puglia. John is a great believer in going away for three weeks, because he says you can’t really see anything in less than that.”
While embracing her extra leisure time, Prue has firmly ruled out retirement.
The culinary icon remains as active as ever, with Prue Leith’s Cotswolds Kitchen securing another series commission. She’s also wrapped filming on a fresh travel programme alongside former Bake Off host Sandi Toksvig, exploring South Africa, and has just launched her newest publication Being Old… and Learning to Love It.
Meanwhile, The Great British Bake Off continues with Paul Hollywood joined by Prue’s successor Nigella Lawson in the judging tent, while presenting duo Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding are expected to reprise their hosting roles.
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer airs tonight at 7pm on Channel 4
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