The Great Celebrity Bake Off is set to welcome Lady Caroline Waldegrave as a new judge. The Channel 4 series, returning on Sunday (March 16), will feature celebrities including Kate Garraway, Roman Kemp, Sarah Beeny, Amelia Dimoldenberg and Adam Buxton, all eager to impress Paul and Lady Waldegrave.
Dame Prue Leith decided to step down from her role on the Celebrity Great British Bake Off in order to enjoy more free time, paving the way for her friend to take over.
Ahead of the new series, Lady Waldegrave shared her thoughts on replacing Dame Prue Leith as a judge on the show.
She confessed: “I was completely terrified. Then, when I turned up, I went to the shepherd’s hut I was allotted and there were banners outside saying ‘Welcome!’ and flowers.”
she praised Love Productions and for being “just so kind and so friendly”, which helped her to feel at ease.
Lady Waldegrave also shared: “[The] mood is very light – there’s a lot of laughter – and (co-hosts) Alison (Hammond) and Noel (Fielding) were so nice to me.
“Particularly Alison. I mean, she’s so hugging that it was just magic.”
But who exactly is the new Great Celebrity Bake Off judge and what is her relationship with Prue Leith, including their joint business venture?
Caroline Waldegrave’s TV career
Caroline Waldegrave is no newcomer to television, having previously appeared on Chef School, Masterchef and Tricks of the Trade, as well as authoring several cookery books.
Lady Caroline Waldegrave, esteemed co-owner and managing director of the prestigious Leiths School of Food and Wine, which she acquired alongside former British Telecom chairman Sir Christopher Bland in 1994, boasts a remarkable career. The culinary maven served as principal of the school from 1975 to 2002.
Caroline Waldegrave (Image: Mark Bourdillon)
Who is Caroline Waldegrave’s husband?
The 74 year old culinary expert is wedded to William Waldegrave, with their union commencing in 1975. The couple has been blessed with four offspring: Katie, Liza, Jamie, and Harriet.
William Waldegrave’s political career includes his tenure as the Conservative MP for Bristol West from 1979 until 1997, during which he held Cabinet positions in the 1990s before being ennobled as a life peer in 1997.
His title, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill, confers upon her the honorific Lady Caroline Waldegrave.
Lady Waldegrave admitted she was terrified ahead of joining Great Celebrity Bake Off (Image: undefined)
Caroline Waldegrave’s bond with Prue Leith
It was at the tender age of 20 that Caroline Waldegrave first encountered Prue Leith, sparking an immediate and enduring connection.
Caroline joined Prue’s catering enterprise in 1971, and together they established Leiths School of Food and Wine, dedicated to the training of both professional chefs and enthusiastic amateurs.
Paul Hollywood and Caroline Waldegrave (Image: Mark Bourdillon)
The pair have co-written a number of books, such as Leith’s Cookery Bible, Leith’s Cooking for One or Two, Leith’s Easy Dinner Parties, and Leith’s Seasonal Bible.
Reflecting on their dynamic, Caroline shared with the Independent, “I’m quite different to Prue. I’m probably more pedantic and she’s much bolder and more exciting, which is why we worked well together.
“She can talk to anyone about anything and people automatically love her. She’s courageous and she’s fun, she’s very warm and she’s sympathetic. She’s got all the qualities you need in a friend.”
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer airs at 7.40pm on Sundays.