Dame Prue Leith has revealed that Dame Mary Berry warned her about working with Paul Hollywood when she took over as judge on The Great British Bake Off. Prue, who announced her departure from the show today, said Mary told her: 'He doesn't need you.'
Speaking on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast, Prue recalled phoning Mary after accepting the role. Mary, who had judged alongside Paul for eight years, described him as 'very good at his job' and 'a lovely guy', but cautioned: 'He knows so much and he's so knowledgeable, he doesn't need you at all. You have to just hold your own and push yourself in because he'll just do the show without you.'
Prue, 86, announced her departure from the Channel 4 show in a statement on Instagram, saying: 'Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years... But now feels like the right time to step back.' She missed the 2024 celebrity edition, with Lady Caroline Waldegrave stepping in as judge.
Channel 4's chief content officer Ian Katz paid tribute, saying: 'She leaves an indelible mark on the show and all its bakers.' Mary Berry left the show in 2016 out of loyalty to the BBC when it moved to Channel 4.
