PRUE LEITH STEPS DOWN AS JUDGE OF THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF AFTER NINE YEARS ON CHANNEL 4 SHOW

Prue Leith has announced she is stepping down from The Great British Bake Off after nine years on hit Channel 4 show.

In a statement to The Sun newspaper, Prue said: "Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years, I have genuinely loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4...

"But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden. Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it."

A spokesperson for Love Productions added: "“From her genuine expertise and encouragement of the bakers to her ability to drop innocent innuendos that reduce the entire tent (and the audience at home) to tears of laughter, Prue will always have a piece of Bake Off’s heart.”"

As part of the next series of The Great British Bake Off, Channel 4 are inviting you to submit your ideas for challenges that may be selected to form part of the very first ‘Audience Choice’ Week.

If you’ve got a signature, technical or showstopper challenge you’ve always wanted to see on the show, now is your chance! Channel 4 are looking for submission ideas here.

The new series will see 12 of the best amateur bakers in Britain will whisk, knead, ice, beat and bake their way through classic British cakes, perfect patisserie, Italian delights, sticky caramel constructions and elaborate layered puddings.

All Twelve will be hoping to impress with their skill, creativity, knowledge and passion and clinch the Bake off Crown. Each of the 30 challenges have been carefully designed by the judges to reveal just who is a star baker.

Hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond will be with the bakers every step of the way, ready with a pertinent pep talk, a helpful hand or just a sympathetic shoulder to cry on.

The Great British Bake Off returns later this year on Channel 4.