‘Bake Off wanted to replace Mary with another old lady... thank goodness!’
BAKE Off judge Prue Leith has revealed she was “amazed” when she was chosen as Mary Berry’s replacement – because she thought the job would go to a “trendy young dude”.
The hit baking contest returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday, with another batch of 12 amateurs looking to impress both Prue and show stalwart Paul Hollywood.
This year’s line-up of hopefuls includes a guard of an armoured vehicle, a retirement living team leader and a pantomime producer.
South African-born cookery writer Prue, 80, told an audience in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire: “I was offered the job after I heard Mary
Berry wasn’t going to do it. I am amazed Channel 4 went for another old lady because Mary and I –
I mean I am 80 and Mary is a few years older.
“I thought they would go for some trendy young dude, you know.
“But no, they went for another old lady and thank goodness.”
But she admitted to having had concerns about working with her co-judge Hollywood, 54, who has been in the role since Bake Off started with Berry, 85, on BBC Two in 2010. Prue said: “I was a little nervous of Paul Hollywood because I think he is such a great television star. He has that ability to look at the camera and not say a word and everybody hangs on what he has to say.
“And those steely blue eyes are just mesmerising. I thought, ‘I am not going to make much of an impression standing next to him’.
But everybody has loved it.”
There is a further change in the show’s line-up for the new series after the departure of co-presenter Sandi Toksvig.
Joining Noel Fielding is fellow comedian and actor Matt Lucas, who created Little Britain with David Walliams.
“Noel had to OK the right person,” revealed Leith. “Because if it does not work with Noel it does not work.
“Noel is very spiky and funny, and Sandi was perfect for him. So it is really hard.”
The Great British Bake Off, Tuesday, Channel 4, 8pm