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Bake Off judge Prue Leith opens up on finding love after loss and why laughter is the key to success...
Since joining Bake Offas a judge in 2017, Prue Leith’s star has risen. In fact, she’s just landed her own series called Prue Leith’sCotswoldKitchen on ITV. It was filmed in her country home so she can rustle up some delicious dishes with a variety of guests. Prue, 84, will also be joined by her husband – former fashion designer, John Playfair. Prue and John, 77, tied the knot in 2016, 14 years after Prue sadly lost her first husband, author Rayne Kruger, to emphysema. Here, she explains why marriage number two is totally different, why she loves hanging out with Alison Hammond, and the reasons the late Prince Philip made the perfect dinner companion...
Hi Prue, your Cotswold Kitchen sounds great!
There’s a lot of cooking but there’s other stuff as well. I’m allowed guests, so I had both Sandi Toksvig and Alison Hammond, which was fun.
How were they in the kitchen?
Sandi’s a good cook. We cooked something out of some historical cookbooks she had, and Alison did the same brownies that she made on Bake Off which were really good.
Did any of your famous friends refuse the show?
No, everybody said yes, but I was trying to get Cotswold people, or chefs – not all VIPs. John, my husband, got pulled into it. He was so natural. I think there’s a real danger he’ll be the star, and I keep saying, ‘I’m supposed to be the star of this family!’ (laughs).
You got married in 2016. How is married life treating you both?
We can’t keep up! We always tell everyone it was six years ago, and recently we actually did the sums, and it’s eight years. Neither of us are good at birthdays or anniversaries, so you just don’t notice. I’ve been saying that we’ve been married for six years for an awfully long time.
Do you cook for each other?
I cook everything at home, except John makes yogurts almost every day – and it’s a great pot of yogurt. I cook with it and eat it for breakfast, so maybe it’s the yogurt! He also makes a mean cocktail. I’ve got him making coc
