Prue Leith is to step back as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, it’s been announced.
Prue, who took over from Mary Berry to critique alongside Paul Hollywood, has been a central figure in the programme, including its star spin-offs for Stand Up To Cancer, since 2017.
However, it has been confirmed that while Prue is involved in the upcoming Celebrity Bake Off premiering this weekend, she will not continue in this role for future series.
Love Productions, responsible for Bake Off, shared,:”Prue will be stepping back from The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.”
Explaining her decision, Prue said (via Metro): “I absolutely love working on Bake Off and am looking forward to filming the next series and meeting our new bakers.
“I am only stepping back from the Celebrity series, which is just a question of the filming commitment involved as we make these shows back to back.”
As speculation mounts on who will fill Prue’s shoes for the charity specials, reports from The Sun suggest Nigella Lawson as the front-runner.
The departure stems from the intensive filming schedule, requiring commitment to two series annually on top of Prue’s other engagements. At nearly 85 years old, Prue’s decision to lighten her load comes as no surprise.
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer is set to return on Sunday, 17 March at 7.40PM, continuing to bring together celebrities in the kitchen for a good cause, albeit without one of its most beloved judges.
Those taking part in the first episode are Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker, popstar Paloma Faith, comedian Munya Chawawa and reality star Spencer Matthews.
The main series of Bake Off will return to Channel 4 in the autumn.
More on: Great British Bake Off
