My upper-crust accent grates on me, says Prue
GREAT British Bake Off judge Prue Leith says she cannot bear to hear her voice.
The chef, 80, described it as “schoolmarmy and posh”.
South African-born Prue came to the UK from Cape Town in the 1960s, moving from a racially segregated society to one which was divided along class lines.
And she thinks Britain’s class divisions contribute to poor eating habits and health.
She told the Radio Times: “Generally educated people have a better life because they know more stuff and they know how to do things.”
Boarding school educated Prue said: “I never buy ready meals or takeaway-type food. I can make a really cheap meal with cabbage, bacon, onion and garlic. The people who most need to feed their children nutritiously and cheaply because they haven’t got much money are the ones that have the least education about cooking and food.”
Prue’s son with her first husband Rayne Kruger is the Conservative MP for Devizes, Danny Kruger – a former speech writer to ex-Prime Minister David Cameron.
Despite her son’s politics, the chef said she had not “been much good to the Tories” and only voted for them once – during Tony Blair’s premiership.
She also caused a Twitter storm when she defended special adviser Dominic Cummings after his trip to County Durham during the lockdown. Prue has also come out as pro-Brexit on the BBC panel show Question Time.
The Great British Bake Off moved to Channel 4 in 2017, which saw Prue replace Mary Berry as judge.
This year’s series has been postponed due to coronavirus and it has been reported that the show cannot get insurance cover for Prue, who is classed as vulnerable due to her age.
Prue said: “I can’t wait for us to start again”. But she admitted she does not know when that will be.
The new series will be copresented by comedian Matt Lucas, who joins Noel Fielding after Sandi Toksvig left.
The Radio Times is available from newsstands now.