Prue Leith says 'Bake Off' is easy money – and pays for someone to taste her recipes for her

Kitchen queen Prue Leith has admitted that The Great British Bake Off has made her so rich, she now pays someone else to taste her recipes – and says it’s the easiest job she’s ever had.

These days, when the cook and TV star – known for her judging roles on Bake Off and The Great British Menu – writes a new cookbook, she doesn’t have to check her own food is up to standard.

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Asked on the Come For Supper podcast whether she got help with writing her cookbooks, she said: “I do now because I can afford it, thanks to Bake Off. I now have somebody who tests recipes for me.

“It's really great because in writing recipe books you have to test things over and over again and it takes ages.”

The Channel 4 baking contest might be full of stress for the amateur contestants, but Leith revealed that her judging role, which she took over from Mary Berry when the show moved from the BBC, was the easiest money she’s ever made.

She said: “I don’t say this too loudly so they want to drop my salary, but the fact is, it is the easiest job I’ve ever done.

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“I don’t have to write a script, I don’t have to learn any lines, I don’t have to rehearse anything, I don’t have to make up jokes like (hosts) Sandi (Toksvig) and Noel (Fielding) do.

“All I have to do is walk on, eat cake, say what I think, walk off and get paid. What is wrong with that?”

The job hasn’t always been such a walk in the park for Leith – two years ago she dropped the ultimate clanger by revealing the series winner hours before the final episode aired.

She accidentally tweeted to congratulate Sophie Faldo on her victory on the morning before the episode was due to be shown. She later said the mistake was because she she had gone on holiday and been confused by the time difference when posting.