Dame Prue Leith

Star cook opens up about her time on the fat jab and how she’s embracing older age after Bake Off

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For a woman whose life revolves around food, the fat jab was a surprising choice for Dame Prue Leith. And, sure enough, the brief dalliance was a disaster, with the star cook missing “the joy of food” - and not losing any weight anyway.

But body confidence is clearly not an issue, having rocked the catwalk at London Fashion Week this month in a Vin+Omi suit, ruffled shirt and floral headpiece, the day before turning 86.

Dame Prue is taking on the topic of ageing in her new book, Being Old And Learning To Love It. And she is loving it, despite the creaking joints and failing to shift any weight.

Dame Prue, who announced her departure from ‘The Great British Bake Off in January, says the jabs “worked perfectly” for her husband, retired fashion designer John Playfair, helping him become “healthier than anything”. This encouraged her to try it - but she didn't pay attention to the instructions, and “did not lose a single pound” for the month she was on it.

“What I didn't really listen to was you have to eat at least 1,500 calories a day, otherwise you're in starvation mode’ she says. “I was so un-hungry, they affected me so strongly, that when we were on holiday, I just didn’t want to get up. I didn’t want to go to the beach, I just wanted to lie down and sleep alll the time, and I didn't want to eat anything”

Dame Prue, who was consuming around 200 calories a day, adds: “What your body then does is it simply says, “This is starvation, I mustn't let anything go”