'Great British Baking Show' judge Prue Leith departs competition after nine years

Prue Leith, a longtime justice for the deed baking contention bid “The Great British Baking Show,” is leaving the tent.

The baking connoisseur, known among fans and competitors for her affinity for boozy sweets and vibrant manner and accessory choices, announced her departure from the wholesome bid connected Wednesday morning. “Bake Off has been a fabulous portion of my beingness for the past 9 years,” she wrote connected Instagram, praising her co-judge personage cook Paul Hollywood and hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.

She continued: “But present feels similar the close clip to measurement backmost (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s truthful overmuch I’d similar to do, not slightest walk summers enjoying my garden.”

Leith joined “The Great British Baking Show” (alternatively titled “The Great British Bake-Off” successful the United Kingdom) successful 2017, succeeding cookbook writer Mary Berry. Berry had been a justice connected the bid since its debut successful 2010 but exited erstwhile the bid made the determination from the BBC to Channel 4, a commercialized broadcaster.

Since joining the series, Leith has sampled scores of competitors’ signature bakes, judged method baking challenges and marveled astatine galore bakers’ memorable confectionery showstoppers. Notably, she and Hollywood served arsenic co-judges during bid 11 of the show, which was filmed and aired amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before “The Great British Baking Show,” Leith was a justice connected BBC Two’s cooking contention bid “Great British Menu.” Born successful Cape Town, South Africa, Leith was appointed with damehood by Queen Elizabeth II successful 2021.

“You’re the champion Prue,” Hollywood captioned a photograph of himself and Leith connected the acceptable of “Great British Baking Show” successful rococo-style costumes.

Other members of the “Baking Show” assemblage praised Leith successful the comments conception of her post. Rahul Mandal, a timid baker who won the bid successful 2018, wrote that Leith is “kind, funny, passionate and ever inspired us.” 2025 competitors including Aaron Mountford-Myles, Jessika Trassel and victor Jasmine Mitchell besides celebrated Leith’s tenure successful the comments.

“You are a unit of quality and an inspiration to the world,” co-host Fielding captioned a fistful of photos from their clip connected set. “A dazzle of colours and that fantastic smile.”

“We volition miss you truthful overmuch Prue,” Hammond said successful an Instagram story.

“Great British Baking Show” volition instrumentality for a caller play aboriginal this year. Channel 4 confirmed that Leith’s successor volition beryllium announced astatine a aboriginal date, according to the Guardian.

“Whoever joins the team, I’m definite they’ll emotion it arsenic overmuch arsenic I have. I consciousness precise fortunate to person been portion of it,” Leith concluded her caption.