Great British Bake Off Judge Prue Leith Steps Down After 9 Years On The Show

After acting as a judge for over half the show's run, Prue Leith has decided to step down from her position on the cooking competition show "The Great British Bake Off" (which is known as "The Great British Baking Show" in the United States due to trademark reasons). Leith first joined the show in 2017 as a replacement for then-series regular Mary Berry and has been on nine of the show's 16 seasons in the time since. 

The 86-year-old chef recently announced on her Facebook page that her time on the show has officially come to an end. "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 expressed in a post on January 21, 2026, before explaining some of the reasons for her departure.

Beyond her age — which Leith said did play a role in her choice to give up her judging duties — the chef and baker noted that there were other things she was interested in doing with her time after nine long years of recording the show. "Now feels like the right time to step back," Leith admitted, later adding, "There's so much I'd like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden."

Known for her insightful and genuine critiques of the many bakers who have come and gone in "Great British Bake Off" history, Prue Leith has become synonymous with the show — especially because her personality complements that of long-time judge Paul Hollywood remarkably well. While Leith hasn't gone without her fair share of fan criticism over the years — such as for her controversial former catchphrase "it's not worth the calories" that she said she did away with due to cancel culture — most would agree that her contribution to the ultra-popular show is one that will not be forgotten.

Leith's retirement comes after years of contributions not only to the show itself but also to the world of food culture. Before joining the lineup of judges, Leith was best known for her work as a food writer, former chef of a Michelin-rated restaurant, one-time caterer for Queen Elizabeth, and head of two culinary schools — London-based Leith's Education (formerly Leith's School of Food and Wine) and the Prue Leith Culinary Institute in South Africa.

While Leith's experience and presence will be hard to replicate as the likely search for a new judge begins, the chef gave the judge-to-be and all the remaining people on the "Great British Bake Off" team words of well wishes as she announced her exit. "I'll miss working with my fellow judges Paul, Alison, and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4," Leith said, adding, "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."