Bake Off is like a cult now... it will outlast all of us

THE Great British Bake off will celebrate its 150th episode during the new series and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith believe that, like a good dough, that number will rise and rise.

- BY MARK JEFFERIES

Paul, 59, who has been a judge since the show began in 2010, says Bake Off is now established in British cultural life, a TV institution he compares to Match of the Day.

Meanwhile, Prue, 85, who replaced Mary Berry when Bake Off moved from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2017, says her goal is to carry on into her 90s.

She says: "Why not? I mean, I'm asked this question all the time and I always say the same thing, 'I've got to give up some time but I'm loving it'. I just enjoy it. I look forward to it. It's a lovely job, for goodness sake.

"It's a wonderful job but I want to go before I'm pushed.

I don't want some poor executive to have to come and say, 'You know, Prue, I'm just wondering... you're 87 or something, do you not think it's time you just stepped down?'

"I don't want somebody to have to do that. And I shouldn't say this, because they'll cut my pay in half, but it's such a piece of cake to do.

It's so easy. All I have to do is walk on, eat cake, walk off and get paid.

What could be easier or nicer?" Bake Off returns next week for its 16th series. The new batch of 12 contestants includes a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, a bridal designer and two hairdressers hoping to make the cut.