The Great British Bake Off is back with another celebrity special in aid of cancer charity Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) but one familiar face will be missing.
The series is judged by Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith but as fans get ready to watch the new series, they’ll notice Prue’s absence.
Instead, alongside Hollywood, they’ll see Prue’s “longtime friend” Caroline Waldegrave - here's why.
Who is Caroline Waldegrave?
In the run-up to the new series, the show announced: “A massive welcome to Caroline Waldegrave OBE who is joining us as a judge for The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off.
“Caroline is a former co-owner and managing director of Leiths School of Food and Wine and a longtime friend of Prue’s – her tastebuds are some of the best in the bizz! #GBBO”.
Bake Off fans excited to see Caroline Waldegrave as guest judge
Some fans have shared their excitement as the new judge joins Hollywood and presenters This Morning’s Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.
One said: “Oh what a wonderful choice”.
Another commented: “Wow! Caroline! I can’t wait to watch!!”
This person was shocked to see Prue missing from the photo of the GBBO judges and presenters: “Woahhh. Where’s Prue?”
Leith commented: “Caroline is perfect! The kindest and most knowledgable teacher, the bakers and viewers will love her.”
Why is Prue Leith not on The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer?
While Prue remains a judge on the regular GBBO series, she has taken a step back from judging the celebrity SU2C version.
In 2024, she told This Morning that she was struggling to keep up with the demands of filming both series.
The Mirror reports that she said: “These things are filmed back-to-back all the way through summer from April to August so you don’t get any time off.
“I’m getting quite old and there’s places I want to see. So I’m not doing this year’s.”
Recommended reading:
- The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C: Line-up, new judge, start date and more
- Where is The Great British Bake Off filmed and can you visit the iconic Tent?
- Will Noel Fielding return to Bake Off after illness and departure rumours?
How to watch Bake Off’s Stand Up To Cancer series 2025
As with previous years, the celebrity charity special will see the lineup split across a few episodes rather than all the celebrities baking at the same time.
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer returns this weekend.
The first episode of The Great Celebrity Bake Off 2025 will air on Sunday, March 16 at 7.40pm on Channel 4 and Channel4.com.
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