Dame Prue Leith has revealed the emotional reason behind her decision to leave The Great British Bake Off, admitting she feels she is "running out of time" to enjoy the summer months when the show films.
The 86-year-old confirmed in January that she would step away from the programme after nine years. She has since been replaced by Nigella Lawson, who now judges alongside Paul Hollywood.
A Desire for Summer Holidays
Prue told Woman Magazine that while she "really loved" her time on the show, she realised she would never have a summer holiday in Europe again. "You can't be 86 without thinking about death a bit," she said. "I realised that I would never have a summer holiday in Europe again. Two years ago, I told them I was going to leave and they asked why and I said because I want a holiday in the summer."
She added: "I stopped doing the Celebrity Bake Off and I got a little taste for holidays after that, so that's one of the reasons. The other is that I think I've done enough of Bake Off."
Health Scare and Recovery
The restaurateur's frank comments follow a recent health scare that saw her rushed to hospital over fears she may have had a stroke. While visiting Yorkshire, Prue suffered a severe migraine that affected her speech, prompting her husband John Playfair to raise the alarm. After he contacted her GP, she was taken to hospital by ambulance.
In a social media post, she reassured fans: "For those that have messaged me, I wrote a piece of @theoldiemagazine about my trip to hospital a couple of months ago. I was fine shortly after and am very much alive and kicking now!"
Staying Active and Adapting
Discussing her fitness routine, Prue said she faithfully performs various exercises and stretches daily. However, she has reluctantly reduced her involvement in tennis and horse-riding.
"As I've got older, I've reluctantly adapted," she told Good Housekeeping Magazine. "I like to think I get plenty of exercise. I'm on my feet a lot, in the garden or filming, cooking and so on. Once, I bought a Fitbit, thinking it would prove that I did plenty of daily steps. When it declared I only did 4,000, I gave it away - I don't like bad news!"
