TV chef Prue Leith speaks of her love for Great British Bake Off

Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith has spoken of how the hit TV show has given her the limelight she craves.

The 78-year-old chef, restaurateur and businesswoman has been on our screens since the 1970s but has gained a new set of fans since appearing on The Great British Menu before replacing Mary Berry as a judge on The Great British Bake Off last year.

She said: “I absolutely love it, I love the attention.

“I’ve never had so much attention and I like the limelight. Bake Off has given me lots of it.

“I’ve made and eaten more cake since I have been in Bake Off than in the rest of my 50-year career.”

Leith, who was speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, admitted she watched herself on the hit Channel 4 show.

“I have watched a few now but I have to say I don’t watch it with the right attitude,” she said.

“I watch it and I am thinking: why is the cameraman going round the back of me, showing my fat cheek?

“Why am I not smiling and looking so grumpy?

“I am so vain and if I am on the screen I cannot look at anyone else.”

Leith, who gave up writing cookery books more than 20 years ago to write novels, said that when she was first asked to succeed Mary Berry when the show moved from the BBC to Channel 4 last year, she was scared of co-judge Paul Hollywood.

“I was a bit frightened of Paul Hollywood before I met him because of those steaming blue eyes,” she said.

“In fact, he’s not like that at all and he’s all squashy middle and he’s a real soppy fellow.”

Picture: Getty. Cookery author Prue is enjoying the limelight of the TV show.