Paul Hollywood blames Prue Leith’s winner gaffe tweet for losing GBBO final viewers
PAUL Hollywood has revealed he thinks that Channel 4's Bake Off final would have got more viewers if fellow judge Prue Leith had not tweeted the winner in an embarrassing gaffe.
The TV star - who yesterday confirmed he had split from his wife - spoke out when asked about the ratings for last month's finals, and told the : "I think we could have had much more."
Fans were stunned when Prue Leith's infamous tweet revealed the winner prematurely.
Prue, 77, was in India when she made the mistake and blamed confusion over the six-hour time difference.
It's certainly a bit of a U-turn for Paul who previously insisted that he’s doesn’t hold a grudge about Prue Leith’s notorious tweet revealing the winner of the Great British Bake Off as Sophie Faldo – just 12 hours before the finale.
The baker told Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine: “It was a genuine mistake. And it was such an amazing final.”
Paul had previously revealed that he was "horrified” by Prue’s gaffe on Bake Off’s spin-off show, An Extra Slice on Channel 4.
It happened in Prue’s first series on the job, after she was brought in to replace Mary Berry on the show.
GBBO judge Prue made the blunder 12 hours before Sophie was seen on screen taking the baking crown, telling her followers: "No one told me judging a #gbbo final would be so emotional. I wanted them all to win. Bravo Sophie."
After being alerted to her mistake, Prue wrote another saying: “I am so sorry to the fans of the show for my mistake this morning. I am in a different time zone and mortified by my error.”
Disappointed viewers later watched Sophie win the coveted prize in what should have been a thrilling climax to the pre-recorded series.
