The Great British Bake Off's return to our screens last month was on the brink of missing its hallmark flair Prue Leith's signature large statement jewellery, vivid scarlet lipstick and eye-catching primary-coloured glasses nearly didn't grace the show. According to Prue, she had considered not returning, stating: "It wasn't that I wasn't enjoying Bake Off," adding, "I love it. But I needed a summer holiday.

" So she took matters into her own hands and informed producer Richard McKerrow in a message saying: "You know I love you dearly but I'm going." READ NEXT: King Charles starts eating lunch at midday and it's not what you would expect Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here . However, fate would have it that Prue and Richard were set to attend fellow judge Paul Hollywood's Cyprus wedding last year, prompting Richard to propose a discussion at the event.

Prue reveals, "And we sat by the swimming pool and he said, 'Why don't you just do less and we'll make sure you get a summer holiday? '" This led to a new arrangement where Prue, at 84, steps back from hosting The Great Celebrity Bake Off spin-off but keeps her judging role on the main show. When asked if she would have regretted leaving GBBO, Prue is candid: "No, no, no, I love Bake Off but it's not my whole life," yet acknowledges that being part of the show has brought significant changes to her life. With a smile, she admits: "It has given me eight years of enormous.