Prue Leith to leave Great British Bake Off in shock exit
"Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years," she said
Dame Prue Leith said she will miss working as a judge on the Great British Bake Off.
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The 86-year-old announced she has decided to step down from the role after nine series and judging more than 400 challenges.
She has been a judge on the baking show alongside Paul Hollywood since 2017 when the series moved channels
She said in a statement on Wednesday: "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.
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"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."
Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding are the current Bake Off presenters, but Dame Prue has also worked with Sandi Toksvig and Matt Lucas.
Channel 4 chief content officer Ian Katz said: "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. She leaves an indelible mark on the show and all its bakers.
"We will miss her wry, gentle judgment but look forward to working with her on new projects."
The next series of the Great British Bake Off will air on Channel 4 later this year.
Channel 4 said a new judge will be announced in due course.