The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer is back on our screens with a brand new batch of famous faces battling it out in the famous Bake Off tent for a good cause. But it’s not just the bakers who are new, as viewers were surprised to learn Prue Leith has been replaced.
Caroline Waldegrave is now judging the contest alongside regular judge Paul Hollywood and hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond.
Ahead of the new series airing, the show announced, ‘A massive welcome to Caroline Waldegrave OBE who is joining us as a judge for The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off.
‘Caroline is a former co-owner and managing director of Leiths School of Food and Wine and a longtime friend of Prue’s – her tastebuds are some of the best in the bizz!’
Despite being longtime friends, Prue has admitted she was warned off hiring Caroline when they first met.
Speaking to The Independent in 2015, Prue explained Caroline had applied for a job at catering company and, noticing they had both studied at The Cordon Bleu, phoned the school for a reference.
She said, ‘I remember very distinctly they said, “Caroline Burrows? You don't want to employ her.” I said, “Why on earth not?” And they said, “Well, she's the naughtiest girl in school.” My first impression was, oh my goodness – but we adored her.’
Prue continued, ‘I live in the Cotswolds, she lives down near Bath, so we don't see that much of each other now. I used to see her every week; now it's three or four times a year. I'd like to see more of her but, partly because we both work so hard, it's difficult.’
Caroline said of her first meeting with Prue, ‘I was about 20 when I met Prue. I thought she was larger than life, wonderfully smiley and friendly and organised. And she seemed fantastically grown-up. I hadn't ever met anyone like her; she was so brave: she didn't have any doubts, she would just do things.
‘I'm quite different to Prue. I'm probably more pedantic and she's much bolder and more exciting, which is why we worked well together. She can talk to anyone about anything and people automatically love her. She's courageous and she's fun, she's very warm and she's sympathetic. She's got all the qualities you need in a friend.’
Prue, 85, announced she would be taking time away from the celebrity version of The Great British Bake Off last year to have a break from filming.
Speaking on This Morning, she said, ‘These things are filmed back-to-back all the way through summer from April to August, so you don't get any time off. I'm getting quite old and there's places I want to see. So, I'm not doing this year's.’
However, she confirmed she would return to the standard series of the show, which typically starts airing in September.
This year’s Celebrity Bake Off kicked off with siblings Scarlette Douglas and Stuart Douglas and married couple Chris Ramsey and Rosie Ramsey going head to head. Comedian Chris was named Star Baker by Caroline and Paul.
Amelia Dimoldenberg, Kate Garraway, Jamali Maddix, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Maxine Peake, Adam Buxton, Ellie Goldstein, Roman Kemp, Phil Wang, Self Esteem, Sarah Beeny, Jim Howick, Sophie Willan, Tommy Tiernan, Meera Syal and Gloria Hunniford will all compete in the coming weeks.
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer continues Sunday at 7:40pm on Channel 4
Samuel McManus is a senior content creator for Bauer Media, writing celebrity news and features across five of the company’s brands – heat, Closer, Grazia, Bella and Yours. Samuel has worked at Bauer Media since November 2024.