Prue Leith says she did not want to ‘overstay her welcome’ on Bake Off
The 86 year old TV cook announced in January that she was stepping down as a judge on the popular Channel 4 baking show after fronting it since 2017.
Dame Prue Leith has said she did not want to “overstay her welcome” on the Great British Bake Off.
The 86-year-old TV cook announced in January that she was stepping down as a judge on the popular Channel 4 baking show after fronting it since 2017.
She has since wished her replacement, cookbook author Nigella Lawson, the best of luck and told the food writer to “enjoy it”.
Speaking to the Telegraph about her decision to leave, Dame Prue said it came after “dithering” on the idea for two years.
She said: “I’ve never wanted to overstay my welcome in anything. Just like you don’t want to stay too long at a dinner party, I think it’s important to leave while you’re happy and enjoying it and people aren’t fed up with you.”
The TV cook admitted that she has never watched an episode of the series because she “hardly ever” watches TV.
She added: “If I do it’ll be a travel programme, because my husband likes things involving people going to extraordinary places.”
The TV cook has been a vocal campaigner in support of the assisted dying Bill after watching her brother David suffer a “slow and agonising” death from bone cancer.
She said: “Had assisted dying been a legal option for him, he could have died peacefully, surrounded by love and support, with enough morphine to still the pain.
“Instead, his family’s memories of his last days are of his trauma and suffering and their inability to help him.
“I would like that option myself – of course I would if I had a terminal disease like my brother. But that’s not the only reason I’m campaigning for it, because there are about 7,000 or 8,000 people a year dying horrible deaths in NHS hospitals.
“If you talk to most people, nearly everybody has a memory of somebody having a horrible death, and we could change that.”
She went on to criticise more than 1,000 amendments made by the House of Lords to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, describing it as “disgraceful and unprincipled”.
The topic is a source of contention within her family as her son, Reform UK MP Danny Kruger, who opposes the legislation.
Despite their disagreements, Dame Prue believes it is important to be able to discuss these topics without getting upset with one another.
She said: “We debate, but without getting angry about it. I think one of the sad things about modern life is how little proper discussion there is.
“It’s either ‘you’re with me or you’re against me, and if you’re against me it turns into a punch-up’. We need to encourage a healthy exchange of views.”
It comes after Dame Prue strutted the catwalk at London Fashion Week on Tuesday, modelling for eco-designers Vin+Omi during their show at The Art’otel in Hoxton.
Following her walk, the audience sang a rendition of Happy Birthday to mark the TV cook’s 86th birthday.
Dame Prue wore a pink ruffled shirt and orange suit, paired with an extravagant floral headpiece, as part of an ensemble created from holly, nettles, butterbur, wood clippings and recycled aluminium.
