Great British Bake Off favourite Prue Leith has announced she is leaving the show after nine years, marking the end of an era for the much-loved baking competition.
Prue joined Bake Off in 2017 after stepping into the role previously held by Mary Berry, and has since become a familiar face alongside Paul Hollywood, with Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding completing the presenting line-up.
But now, after stepping back from the spin-off, Prue has revealed she’s ready to move on and focus on other parts of her life.
Prue Leith quits The Great British Bake Off
Prue shared the news on Instagram today (January 21), confirming that she will be stepping down as a judge and admitting she’ll miss her time on the show.
Posting a series of photos, she wrote: “After nine series, and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off.
“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 will 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 take a step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!).”
Prue also revealed she already knows how she plans to spend her newfound free time.
She continued: “There is so much I would like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden.”
While her replacement has yet to be announced, Prue made it clear she has every confidence in whoever takes over.
She added: “Whoever joins the team, I am sure they will love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it.”
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‘A joyous presence’
The news was first reported by The Sun, which included statements from both Love Productions and Channel 4 paying tribute to Prue’s time on the show.
Love Productions said she will “always” hold a special place in Bake Off’s heart, while Channel 4’s Ian Katz described her as a “joyous presence”.
He said: “We will miss her wry, gentle judgement but look forward to working with her on new projects.”
While her Bake Off chapter may be closing, it sounds like Prue’s relationship with Channel 4 isn’t over just yet.
Alison Hammond breaks silence
Tonight, GBBO host Alison Hammond has shared her support for Prue. Posting on her Stories, she reshared the post, with a picture with Paul, Prue and Noel, and said: “We will miss you so much Prue.”
Fans react to Prue’s exit
Fans were quick to share their sadness, flooding the comments with heartfelt messages following her announcement.
“Absolute legend Dame Prue! Your legacy shall never be forgotten,” one wrote.
Another commented: “You are an absolute icon of the baking world and will be so missed. Especially your naughty double entendres.”
“You will be a very hard act to follow, Prue,” a third added.
Others were openly emotional. “No, please don’t go. We are going to miss you on TV so much,” one fan begged.
Another summed it up, writing: “What a run! Thanks for helping putting joy and love into our lives. In the insanity of the world, you helped make GBBO a sanctuary from the chaos.”
Read more: GBBO star Prue Leith reveals she’s tried weight-loss jabs: ‘I didn’t shed an ounce!’
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