At 86, Prue Leith Reveals Her Simple Secret to Happiness

Some TV shows make you feel better the minute they come on. The Great British Baking Show is one of them, with its iconic tent, kind competition and that unmistakable stroll through meadows. And for nearly a decade, Prue Leith has been a judge on the beloved baking show.

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Prue moved to England in 1960 to study at Le Cordon Bleu, later founding Leiths School of Food and Wine—and today she’s a culinary icon. As a judge on the show (called The Great British Bake-Off in the UK), Prue won hearts with her bright style and warmth. Now, at 86, Prue is stepping away from the famous tent after nine years and more than 400 bakes judged alongside Paul Hollywood.

True to form, she isn’t slowing down—she’s making room for what matters most. In her new memoir, Being Old…and Learning to Love It, Prue reflects on everything from falling in love again at 70 to dressing boldly and staying curious at every age. And if you think her secret is complicated, think again. “I sleep well, I eat well and I love well,” Prue tells Woman’s World as our new cover star this week (pick up your copy here). Here, she shares all the ways she colors her life with joy every day.

Embrace every season

Prue says stepping down from the show wasn’t about no longer loving the job. She was still enjoying it—and the show wanted her to stay. “I wanted to walk before I was pushed,” she shares. “Sooner or later, I’d become too old to do it well. I certainly haven’t decades left. So things that I’ve thought, I’ll do one day—I’d better do them now.” Those things include traveling with John, her husband of more than seven years. “This year, for the first time, I’ll be free in the summer. We’re going to spend time in Italy driving down the Puglia coast. Then we’ll spend time with the grandchildren and children on the coast of France.”

Believe in love

One of the loveliest parts of Prue’s new memoir is her candor about widowhood, independence and finding love again with John after eight years alone. For a time, she says, she truly enjoyed living alone: “There were all sorts of real benefits,” she says with a laugh. “No crumbs in the bed…your time is your own. And the remote for the TV is yours.” When she fell in love again, she found that it feels much like love in your teens. “You find yourself thinking, Will he ring? Do I dare ring him?” Sitting next to John at a play soon after they met, she was so aware of him she could barely follow the show: “I was thinking, Is that pressure of his leg against mine deliberate? It’s like being 17. I’m glad to say the pressure was deliberate.”

Be bold

Bright jackets, vibrant glasses and fun accessories—Prue wears them all with delight. “I’m often upset when somebody who’s 60 or 70 says to me, ‘You’re so brave wearing bright colors. I used to wear red. But it’s not appropriate now.’ Of course it’s appropriate!” she says. “Young people can wear boring beige and still look so beautiful! At my age, we need some help—and color does that!”

Nurture friendships

For all of Prue’s success as a restaurateur, author and TV star, she admits her social life faded during her busy years. After she was widowed, she felt that absence. “I realized that I should have been a better friend,” she shares. Today, she and John have many friends in the Cotswolds, where they live—she treasures those connections. “Loneliness is a chief reason for unhappiness,” she says. “You can bear almost anything if you have people who care about you.”

Don’t miss Prue’s newest projects

In her latest book, Being Old…and Learning to Love it!, Prue shares her musings on the trials and triumphs of aging well. From health to fashion and love after 70, it’s part memoir and part reflection. Another passion? Advocating for cooking classes in primary schools. “The best way to get kids to like healthy food is to turn them into little cooks,” Prue says. “We trialed it successfully with 5,000 students. It’s the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in a long time.” For more info, visit Prue-Leith.com.

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 6:00 AM.