Dame Prue Leith leaves The Great British Bake Off

Dame Prue Leith is to leave The Great British Bake Off after serving as a judge on the show for almost a decade.

The 86-year-old actress replaced Mary Berry on the soap in 2017, appearing alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood and hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.

“Now feels like the right time to step back,” Dame Prue said in a statement, adding: “There’s so much I want to do.”

Broadcaster Channel 4 has not yet announced who will take over the series from him.

The announcement follows Dame Prue’s departure from the celebrity version of Bake Off in 2024. He was replaced by Lady Caroline Waldegrave.

Dame Prue said: “Bake Off has been a wonderful part of my life for the last nine years; I really loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judges Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4.

“But now feels like the perfect time to step back (I’m 86 for God’s sake!), there are so many things I want to do, at least spend the summers enjoying my garden.”

He added: “Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I do. I feel so lucky to be a part of it.”

Ian Katz, Channel 4’s chief content officer, said Leith was “a cheerful presence in the tent who combines absolute culinary authority with great generosity and empathy for bakers”.

“We are grateful for his passion, his intelligence, his ineffable style, and all the summers he spent in the tent.”

He added: “He leaves an indelible mark on the show and all of its bakers. We’ll miss his wry, gentle judgment but look forward to working with him on new projects.”