Prue Leith is stepping down from The Great British Bake Off after nine years on the show.
The 85-year-old joined the Bake Off tent in 2017, replacing Mary Berry.
Ms Leith 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."
Love Productions said: "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."
Channel 4's Ian Katz said: "Prue Leith has been a joyous presence in the tent, pairing absolute culinary authority with great generosity and empathy for the bakers.
"We are grateful for her passion, her wit, her ineffable style, and all the summers she spent in the tent.
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"She leaves an indelible mark on the show and all its bakers.
"We will miss her wry, gentle judgement but look forward to working with her on new projects."
In 2024, Ms Leith stepped down from the celebrity version of the show due to her workload, with her seat temporarily filled by Lady Caroline Waldegrave.
The next series of The Great British Bake Off is set to air later this year on Channel 4.
