Paul Hollywood has publicly praised Dame Prue Leith following her announcement that she is leaving The Great British Bake Off after nine years. The 86-year-old chef confirmed her departure from the Channel 4 show on Wednesday, January 21, stating that she felt it was the right time to step back.
Prue Leith took to Instagram to share the news, writing: 'After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off. 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, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4. 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.'
Paul Hollywood responded with a simple but heartfelt message on his own Instagram, sharing a photo of the pair and writing: 'You’re the best Prue!' followed by a red heart emoji. The two have judged the show together since 2017, when Prue replaced Mary Berry after the programme moved from BBC to Channel 4.
Love Productions also paid tribute, stating: 'From her genuine expertise and encouragement of the bakers to her ability to drop innocent innuendos that reduce the entire tent (and the audience at home) to tears of laughter, Prue will always have a piece of Bake Off’s heart.' Channel 4's Chief Content Officer Ian Katz added: 'Prue Leith has been 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.'
Prue Leith will not appear in the 2026 series, but her replacement has yet to be announced. She reassured fans that she would be back for the 2025 series, which is set to air later this year.
