Prue Leith, who has been a judge on The Great British Bake Off alongside Paul Hollywood since 2017, is showing no signs of slowing down even as she nears her 85th birthday in a few months.

However, she confesses that her "main concern" about ageing is "not having enough life left to live", as she still has many ambitions to fulfil.

In her 2022 memoir, I'll Try Anything Once, author Dame Prue, 84, discloses her desire to turn her trilogy of books into a TV series, and her aspiration to write a baking book inspired by her experiences on the Channel 4 show. But the reality of ageing has made her realise she needs to "better get a move on".

Expressing her fears of running out of time, Prue wrote: "My main concern is not having enough life left to live. I feel as energetic and enthusiastic, or almost, as I ever did, but of course it can't last."
Prue Leith with her second husband John (
Image:
Channel 4)

The Bake Off star also confessed to having "nightmares" about losing her husband John Playfair, which has led the couple to strive for a healthier lifestyle in their later years. This can be challenging for the cook, as her role on the Channel 4 show requires her to taste sweet treats regularly.

She added: "I keep reading about overweight people dying of stroke or heart attack. John isn't fat, but he's definitely on the chubby side and I'm at least a stone overweight, so we make frequent, unsuccessful attempts to lose weight."

Prue isn't in a hurry to hang up her hat just yet, but she did muse on the possibility of stepping away from the limelight: "Maybe one day I will finally abandon TV, forgo writing, give up social and charitable causes."

She fantasised about a quieter life saying, "Maybe then I'll settle down to reading all those books and watching all the classic movies I've missed. Maybe.

"Maybe I'll even be a better granny, remembering my grandchildren's birthdays and attending all their school concerts. Unlikely, but devoutly to be wished."

Wrapping up with an optimistic outlook, she added, "One thing's for sure: whatever I do, I hope I will do it with relish."