Prue Leith has revealed that she partly got her Great British Bake Off judging job because she reminded Paul Hollywood of his mother-in-law!
Prue Leith has revealed that she partly got her Great British Bake Off judging job because she reminded Paul Hollywood of his mother-in-law!
The 77-year-old star told TV Times that after two auditions the Bake Off producers had fallen in love with her and Paul’s chemistry.
“The first thing Paul said was: 'It’ll be fine, she reminds me of my mother-in-law!' It turns out he likes his mother-in-law!”
After Prue was offered the coveted job, she quickly got on the blower to her predecessor… “I rang Mary to talk about Paul and said: “Is he workable with?” She said yes, he knows his stuff.”
Prue added that she’s fond of the show’s new presenting team Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding, who often have her in stitches with their banter.
“The difficulty is not laughing,” she says. “I did not think you could put so much variation into the same three words – Ready, Steady, Bake. Noel also has the best shirts. And Sandi can make tea faster than anyone; if she sees a tear appearing among the bakers, she’s there.”
As a newcomer, Prue Leith revealed she was surprised by the size of the tent. “I hadn’t rumbled quite what a huge thing Bake Off is so I’ve been surprised about the number of people who are so positive about it in the supermarket. I was also amazed at how big the tent is; it’s the size of a tennis court.”
As to the reason for the show’s huge success, she said: “There is something about Bake Off which is very comforting. I’m sure it’s success is largely due to the fact that nobody sets out to humiliate a contestant. They haven’t cast people to fail. They never put a rubbish baker in and they only pick the best.”
The Great British Bake Off continues on C4 on Tuesdays.
