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Long-serving Great British Baking Show judge Prue Leith is leaving the series.
Leith announced her departure in an Instagram post, writing that “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’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul [Hollywood], Alison [Hammond] and Noel [Fielding] and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4. But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!).”
Leith’s departure will mark the first change to the show’s judging duo in nine years. A former restaurateur, cookbook author and catering business owner, Leith joined The Great British Baking Show in 2017. She replaced judge Mary Berry when the series moved from the BBC to Channel 4 in the U.K. The series streams on Netflix in the United States.
“There’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden,” Leith wrote on Instagram (see the post below. “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.”
Comments on the post include well wishes from a number of former contestants and co-host Hammond, who wrote, “You have been incredible Prue! I’m gonna miss our dame.” Hollywood, who’s been a judge for the entirety of the show’s run, replied with a heart emoji and a face shedding a single tear.
