Beloved TV Judge Prue Leith Bids Farewell To Long-Running Show

Restaurateur and TV host Dame Prue Leith is saying goodbye to “The Great British Bake Off” after almost a decade as a judge on the popular show.

The beloved television personality shared the news Jan. 21 in a heartfelt statement on Instagram.

“After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off,” she said.

“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.”

Leith’s statement continued, “But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden.”

She touched on the legacy she leaves behind and the big shoes that someone new will one day fill.

“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,” she wrote in her statement.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Dame Prue Leith visits the Empire State Building on October 30, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)

Leith took over from Mary Berry on the show in 2017, appearing with judge Hollywood. Her replacement has not yet been named by Channel 4.

Fans and loved ones immediately populated the comment section of Leith’s post with words of love and admiration, as they wished her luck in this new chapter of her life.

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L) reacts as Britain’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock (R) passes a plate of cooked food to British-South African restaurateur Prue Leith during a visit to Royal Berkshire NHS Hospital in Reading, west of London on October 26, 2020, to mark the publication of a new review into hospital food. (Photo by Jeremy Selwyn / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JEREMY SELWYN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Channel 4 chief content officer Ian Katz called Leith “a joyous presence in the tent, pairing absolute culinary authority with great generosity and empathy for the bakers.”

“We are grateful for her passion, her wit, her ineffable style, and all the summers she spent in the tent,” he said. (RELATED: Popular Influencer Linked To Tom Brady Gets Her Own Reality Show)

“She leaves an indelible mark on the show and all its bakers. We will miss her wry, gentle judgement but look forward to working with her on new projects.”