New Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith given round the clock protection to ‘guard her from threats’
NEW Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith has been given full-time protection by “coppers” to protect her from threats.
The 77-year-old and her agent were shocked by the extreme levels of security provide by Channel 4 and show makers Love Productions after she was announced as the official replacement to national treasure Mary Berry.
Prue initially turned down the offer of a close protection officer, but the TV companies insisted by sending one to guard her house.
In an exclusive interview, the cooking legend revealed: “On the day that they announced who the line-up was, they wanted to send a close protection officer.
“My husband and a bunch of friends were going out to dinner to a really nice restaurant in London.
“I said, ‘Don’t be ridiculous, we absolutely do not need a copper standing there looking.’
“But they said, ‘No, no, no, we really must just to be on the safe side.’
“What did they think is going to happen? I’m not likely to be trolled. This is a nice family show.”
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But when multi-millionaire Prue returned to her home in the Cotswolds, she discovered she had been granted the security protection anyway.
She explained: “When I got home that night at 11 at night, there’s a chap in a van, a security guard.
“They sent somebody down to the country to look after me.
“And they sent someone to look after my agent. I mean, who do they think I am? Do they think I’m Prince Philip or something?
“I was really amazed that they really look after you.”
Prue is being paid £500,000 to replace her close friend Berry, who told her not to worry about any threats.
She revealed that Mary told her: “Look, if there’s a big story there might be somebody at the gate, but most people like the show.
“It’s quite nice walking into the supermarket and being asked: ‘Are you the lady off the telly?’ That happens to me now and I always enjoy it.”
Also joining Prue and the returning Paul Hollywood when the show moves from the BBC to Channel 4 as part of a £75 million deal are new presenters Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding.