Prue Leith shoots down Sandi Toksvig’s swipe at ‘boring’ Bake Off – setting record straight on her Channel 4 exit
PRUE Leith has shot down Sandi Toksvig's 'boring' Bake Off comment, setting the record straight on her Channel 4 exit.
The 65-year-old comedian mentioned leaving the popular show in 2020 after three years because it was no longer 'fun'.
At the time, Sandi also joked that her brain was turning to mush from "watching meringues dry."
But now, Prue, 83 has dismissed Sandi's comment, saying that they actually had a great time in the green room and she wasn't 'really bored'.
Prue shared that Sandi kept herself busy with knitting, writing scripts, and other hobbies during her breaks from filming.
"I don’t think Sandi was so bored because she and I shared a wonderful green room in this posh house, which was where we filmed Bake Off and which was in the library.
Read more on GBBO
"And so we had this wonderful selection of books and she would knit little figures and dress them beautifully. Did you know she’s a knitter? She sells [them] for charity. So she made lots of those. She wrote a few scripts. She did a lot of other things," Prue told .
Prue added that Sandi's comment about 'watching meringue dry' seemed 'a little heavy' but assured that it was only meant as a joke.
She continued: "I mean, I can see that for some people as clever as Sandi watching meringue dry is perhaps a bit heavy, but I think she just liked the joke. I don’t think she was really bored."
Prue also revealed that she'll keep presenting The Great British Bake Off until she gets a "tap on the shoulder".
Most read in TV
"I do still absolutely love it. I don't want to stay so long that I fall over. I just don't want to make a fool of myself. And I don't want to be there beyond when I'm really enjoying it and the public like me.
"And I think I'm not really perhaps in the best position to say when I've got there because, you know, very many old ladies who still think that they are absolutely on it," She added.
Presenter, Fi Glover said: "So you'd like someone to just tap you on the shoulder?"
Prue responded: "Yeah. And I think my children might. Or my husband. But I do still love it. And I'm enjoying it."
Back in 2020, after the news of Sandi's departure from Bake Off, a source said that she would often hide in her dressing room — sparking tensions on set.
They added: “The only surprise is that she didn’t walk sooner.”
According to insiders, the Danish-born presenter and comic had "desperately wanted to leave for a long time".
One source said: “The atmosphere on set had been lively and upbeat, but as time went on Sandi seemed to be enjoying it less and less and just didn’t want to get involved.
“She spent most of her time hiding out in what looked like a bijou shepherd’s hut she’d had set up, knitting on her own — and quite often grumbling about it all.
Meanwhile, the new series of Bake Off is set to return this spring on Channel 4 for Stand Up to Cancer - and the new lineup has been revealed.
Speaking ahead of the show airing, Prue said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to share that we're serving up another delightful season of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer this spring on Channel 4.
"Brace yourself for a delectable lineup of bakers, each with their own unique flair in the kitchen – some are, admittedly, a bit more flour-savvy than others!
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"Filming this show was a delicious dose of fun, sprinkled with some unforgettable baking moments. I can't wait for everyone to see it.”
