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Prue Leith says 'it's disgraceful' as she opens up on end-of-life fear

The Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith said she does not fear death, but she does fear the prospect of not being allowed to die and she wants assisted dying to be legalised

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Prue Leith(Image: GETTY)

Prue Leith has candidly discussed her stance on assisted dying, sharing that her apprehension lies not in death itself, but in the possibility of prolonged pain and distress in her final days. The renowned culinary expert, restaurateur, and Bake Off judge expressed exasperation over how proposed assisted dying laws are being handled in the House of Lords.

During an appearance on Katherine Ryan's What's My Age Again? podcast, Prue made clear that while death holds no terror for her, being denied the choice to die certainly does. She explained: "It doesn't scare me at all; it absolutely doesn't scare me. What would scare me is if you're ill, in pain and unhappy you ought to be allowed to die if you want to."

The 86-year-old food legend revealed she is a passionate campaigner for assisted dying rights and is keeping a watchful eye on legislation currently progressing through Parliament. She voiced significant irritation at how it is being delayed.

"I spend a lot of time advocating assisted dying, and at the moment a bill is going through Parliament, but it looks likely to fail because the House of Lords has decided to filibuster," Prue stated.

[Dame Prue Leith Speaks At the Cambridge Union]

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Dame Prue Leith Speaks At the Cambridge Union(Image: Getty)

Prue highlighted that the proposed law has already secured robust backing in the House of Commons, demonstrating considerable public and political consensus. However, she suggested proceedings in the upper chamber are being intentionally hindered.

"If a bill runs out of time because it hasn't been properly debated, it automatically falls, and you then have to start again in the next Parliament and go right through the House of Commons," she explained. "It has already been through the House of Commons, which approved it and wants to see it made law."

The television personality, who made her name through cookery schools, restaurants, and broadcasting, has consistently spoken out on social issues, particularly healthcare and patients rights.

Her forthright comments arrive as public discussion around assisted dying legislation in the UK grows more heated, with advocates championing the autonomy of terminally ill individuals while critics raise ethical objections. Prue revealed her frustration is directed at a small faction of Lords who, she claims, are manipulating parliamentary procedure.

[Prue Leith Joins Scottish Parliament Event To Support Assisted Dying]

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Prue Leith Joins Scottish Parliament Event To Support Assisted Dying(Image: Getty)

"The Lords are supposed to scrutinise and improve bills. They're there to check bills, and make sure they are the best they can be. They're not meant to deliberately sink them or bury them, and there's this group of Lords who have tabled over a thousand amendments, which have to be discussed, simply to make sure the bill runs out of time and fails," she stated.

For Prue, this matter carries both personal and political weight. Her focus centres on individuals' rights to escape prolonged suffering and select dignity during their final moments. Prue branded this approach as "so undemocratic" and suggested it damages the Lords' own reputation.

"And a lot of the Lords, even those who are opposed to assisted dying and don't want the bill to succeed, totally disagree with what this little cabal of Lords is doing. They say that's not what we're meant to do. It's not the right use of the Lords. It's bringing the Lords into disrepute. It's undemocratic. It means we can't vote because it will run out of time. It's disgraceful," she added, according to the Express.

["Wonka]

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Prue Leith(Image: Getty)

Speaking with her trademark candour, the television personality emphasised that her anger isn't directed at peers who oppose assisted dying on moral grounds, but rather at the parliamentary manoeuvres being used to block a vote on legislation that has already secured backing in the Commons.

Earlier this year, in January, Prue revealed she would be departing her role as a judge on Channel 4's The Great British Bake Off. The 86-year-old expressed that she has "genuinely loved" her time on the programme across nine series, during which she assessed over 400 baking challenges.

Since 2017, when the beloved baking competition transferred from the BBC to Channel 4, she has sat alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood.

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