Dame Prue Leith has admitted that she expects to retire from her role judging The Great British Bake Off "sometime soon".
The 84-year-old cookery writer joined Paul Hollywood on the baking competition show in 2017, replacing Dame Mary Berry, and is expected to return for the 2025 series.
Speaking to Us Weekly to promote her new book Life's Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom, however, Leith was candid about her future in front of the cameras.
"The only thing I'd say is that obviously I'm going to have to retire sometime soon because I wouldn't be able to do it forever, but I want to get out before I'm pushed," she said.
"So I don't want to get to the stage that [someone] suddenly politely says, 'you know, Prue, it's been ten years now, I really think perhaps we should think about a change'.
"I don't want that conversation. I want to be gone by before that conversation, but it is going to be up to my husband and my best friends to tell me when it's enough. We can't have you hobbling on to the stage.
"If you're asking me, am I planning to retire? No, I'm not. I love doing it, and as long as they'll have me, I will want to do it."
The Great British Bake Off returns for a New Year special on Friday, January 3 at 7.40pm on Channel 4.
Neil Wilkes
Follow us on Bluesky or on X/Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest entertainment news alerts.
Media Mole's Lowest Ever Sky Offer: Get Sky Essential, Sky Stream & Netflix for just £15 a month + £0 upfront fee for 24 months!
Prices may change during this period. Ends March 19, 2025
