Prue Leith has temporarily taken a “step back” from her Great British Bake Off presenting duties.

The host and restaurateur has been a part of the much-loved baking programme since its move from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2017, replacing the expert role formerly held by Mary Berry.

However, it has been claimed that Leith, 84, will not take part in a future celebrity edition of the programme, raising money for cancer charities.

In a statement provided to Metro, Love Productions, the production company that makes Bake Off and its sister shows, said: “Prue will be stepping back from The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.”

The Independent has reached out to a representative of Prue Leith for further comment.

Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson is said to be in the running to replace the South African food writer in her absence.

Speaking to The Sun, apparent insiders to the show claim that Leith is taking a break from the celebrity edition due to other jobs, and intends to return for the regular series next year.

“Prue absolutely loves working on Bake Off but filming two series a year can be punishing on top of her other commitments,” the source explained.

“She has already filmed the normal series, which will air this year but she will not appear on the celebrity version.

“Prue has made it clear she adores the show and would like to come back in 2025.”

Last month, Leith spoke about her fondness for Bake Off and stated that she didn’t find the filming process “boring”, in contrast to former host Sandi Toksvig, who left the show in 2022.

Toksvig quipped in January that she once felt her brain “atrophying” while watching meringues dry on the show, leading to her leaving the co-hosting gig and beginning a research project at the University of Cambridge.

“While she was a presenter, judges like me aren’t on screen all the time,” Leith reasoned in an interview with The Times. “I walk on, eat cake and walk off. I can be busy writing a cookbook the rest of the time.”

Leith also spoke about agreeing with negative takes on her speaking voice as expressed on social media when she first got the hosting role.

“Oh, I hate my voice. It’s too posh,” she said. “When I replaced Mary Berry on Bake Off someone on Twitter said: ‘Oh no, not that posh b***h,’ and I sort of agreed with her. But yes, Americans seem to like it.”

Leith recently began hosting a new cooking TV show with her husband John Playfair, titled Prue Leith’s Cotswolds Kitchen on ITV1 and ITVX.