Great British Bake Off bosses cut a slice off judge Prue Leith’s airtime to just three minutes
GREAT British Bake Off judge Prue Leith’s role in the show is being boiled down more and more.
In the first episode she was screened commenting for a total of five minutes and 12 seconds — with it then falling to three minutes and 40, and this week to three minutes 12.
Meanwhile Paul Hollywood, who switched with the show from the BBC to Channel 4, racked up four minutes and 37 seconds, then five minutes and 19 and five minutes and three seconds.
Fans of Prue, 77, said chopping her time could be a reason for falling ratings.
And they pointed out she gets significantly less to say than the judge she replaced, Mary Berry, 82.
She spoke for a total 16 minutes and 50 seconds in her final three episodes.
A source said: “It seems very strange they would cut Prue’s screen time as she has been a hit with viewers and received great feedback.
“They’ve spent all this money on a new judge and we are hardly getting to hear her sharing her baking expertise.
“For some reason Paul is leading the way with all of the commentary and critiques.
“It feels that Prue is his sidekick rather than his equal.”
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Presenters Sandi Toksvig, 59, and Noel Fielding, 44, had double Prue’s time in the show’s second episode, clocking up at six minutes and six minutes and 26 seconds respectively.
The launch following the show’s £75million switch drew 6.5 million viewers.
That fell to 6 million and last week to 5.7million.