‘Great British Bake Off’ Host Prue Leith Given Full-Time Security Protection To Guard Her From Threats

Prue Leith has revealed she’s been given 24/7 protection ahead of her debut on ‘The Great British Bake Off’.

The food critic and restaurateur was announced as Mary Berry’s replacement on the show earlier this month, following its move to Channel 4.

But the 77-year-old says she was shocked by the level of security provided by Love Productions, who make the show, after it was confirmed she would be joining Paul Hollywood as a judge.

She told The Sun: “On the day that they announced who the line-up was, they wanted to send a close protection officer.

“My husband and a bunch of friends were going out to dinner to a really nice restaurant in London.

“I said, ‘Don’t be ridiculous, we absolutely do not need a copper standing there looking.’

“But they said, ‘No, no, no, we really must just to be on the safe side.’

“What did they think is going to happen? I’m not likely to be trolled. This is a nice family show.”

But when Prue returned to her home in the Cotswolds, she discovered she had been granted the security protection anyway.

She explained: “When I got home that night at 11 at night, there’s a chap in a van, a security guard.

“They sent somebody down to the country to look after me.

“And they sent someone to look after my agent. I mean, who do they think I am? Do they think I’m Prince Phillip or something?

“I was really amazed that they really look after you.”

Prue also revealed that Mary Berry has been in touch to reassure her not to worry about any threats.

She revealed that Mary told her: “Look, if there’s a big story there might be somebody at the gate, but most people like the show.

“It’s quite nice walking into the supermarket and being asked: ‘Are you the lady off the telly?’ That happens to me now and I always enjoy it.”

Earlier this month, Prue revealed she had also talked to Mary about Paul Hollywood before agreeing to sign up for the show.

She said: “When Mary said she wasn’t going with it, I’ll confess I thought, ‘I’d quite like that job’.

“So I rang her up before I took the job to find out about Paul. I was very anxious to know. She said he was lovely, so that was OK.”

Prue also admitted she hadn’t heard of new co-host Noel Fielding, who is replacing Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins with Sandi Toksvig.

“I’ve only heard of him because my children just adored him. They don’t watch ‘Bake Off’ but they do watch him,” she said.

“I think what would have been fatal is if they had tried to simply do exactly the same thing and replace Mary with someone very like Mary and to replace Sue and Mel with similar cookie-girl comedians,” she added.

‘The Great British Bake Off’ is expected to launch on Channel 4 later this year.