Prue Leith’s career has included her own restaurants, catering and cookery school businesses; she’s been a board director of companies such as British Rail, Halifax, Safeway, Whitbread, Woolworths, and Belmond (ex-Orient Express) Hotels.

She has published eight novels, a memoir, I’ll Do Anything Once (formerly, Relish) and 14 cookbooks. Her latest cookbook, Bliss on Toast, was published by Bloomsbury in 2022.

Prue is probably best known as a judge on the Great British Bake Off, but last year she also presented a gardening programme, Prue’s Great Garden Plot with her husband, and this year will judge the American equivalent of Bake Off. She has also been a judge on The Great British Menu and My Kitchen Rules. 

Prue has had a deep involvement with education and the arts: she chaired the first of the companies charged with turning round failing state schools, and was Chair of the School Food Trust, responsible for the improvement of school food and food education. She started and led the campaign for contemporary sculpture to be exhibited on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. She has been active in many charities and is the Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. She was an advisor for the Government’s Hospital Food Review.

Among her awards she has a DBE, 12 honorary degrees or fellowships from UK universities, the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the year, and her restaurant, Leith’s, won a Michelin star.

She is married with two children and five grandchildren. 

Not bad for an octogenarian!