Entertainment
Great British Bake Off’s Prue Leith considers dropping calorie comments after backlash from eating disorder campaigners
Prue was previously criticised by charity Beat (Picture: Channel 4)
Great British Bake Off’s Prue Leith is considering stopping comments about calories on the programme, after being subjected to a backlash from eating disorder campaigners.
The judge often questions whether bakes are ‘worth the calories’ on the hit Channel 4 programme – which has attracted controversy in the past.
After pushback from the charity Beat, Prue is now thinking about changing the way she talks about dishes on the show.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, the 81-year-old said: ‘I don’t know why I say it. It’s just an expression of how much I love something, “Oh, this is worth every calorie,” I’ll say.
‘Beat, you know, they are a charity that tries to tackle eating disorders. They say that I mustn’t say it because people then, people who have an eating disorder, feel guilty, feel unhappy, and so they’ll eat more. So perhaps I’ll stop saying it.’
It comes after the charity previously criticised the ‘triggering’ comments.
Prue judges the Bake ff with Paul Hollywood (Picture: PA)
‘Mentions of calories can be triggering to people with or vulnerable to an eating disorder,’ Tom Quinn, the charity’s director of external affairs, previously told The Telegraph.
‘So, talk of food being “worth the calories” is very unhelpful. We would strongly encourage Channel 4 to be conscious about the way food and exercise is discussed, for instance not mentioning calories or specific weights, in order to protect their audience.’
Prue joined the show back in 2017 (Picture: David Hartley/Rex)
It comes after Prue recently opened up about a past relationship with a ‘wonderful man’ she fell in love with while in Lanzarote, rediscovering her sex drive in the process.
Discussing their span as a couple on Annie Mac’s Changes podcast, the judge recalled that she had ‘a lot of good times’ with him but was glad things ended when they did so she was able to ‘hook up’ with now-husband, John Playfair.
More: The Great British Bake Off
Meanwhile, Bake Off winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno has revealed he is still really close with his fellow contestants, and speaks to them everyday on WhatsApp.
The baker was crowned winner of this year’s series, which made him the first Italian to take home the grand prize.
The Great British Bake Off is available to watch on All4.
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MORE : Bake Off’s Prue Leith recalls love affair with ‘wonderful man’ who helped her rediscover sex drive
