Prue Leith forced to turn down Strictly and Dancing on Ice offers amid family concerns for her health
Dame Prue Leith has revealed her family banned her from participating in several reality TV shows due to concerns about her age and dancing ability.
The 85-year-old Great British Bake Off judge admitted she struggled to turn down television opportunities despite past disastrous appearances.
“My default position is to say yes,” she explained to The Oldie magazine, even after previously admitting she was “nearing the end” in a candid reflection on the future.
Her tendency to accept invitations has led to family members stepping in to protect her from what they felt were potentially dangerous situations.
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The 85-year-old’s loved ones have specifically vetoed her participation in Dancing On Ice with stark warnings about her safety.
“My family put a stop to Dancing On Ice with cries of ‘Mum, you can’t dance and are far too old – you’ll break your neck!'” she revealed.
Like concerns were also raised about the BBC’s legendary programme Strictly Come Dancing.
“My agent had similar reservations, more politely put, about celebrity Strictly,” Leith added.
These interventions come from what she describes as “wiser heads” who have dissuaded her from potentially risky challenges.
Despite family concerns, Strictly Come Dancing bosses are reportedly determined to sign Leith for their 2025 lineup.
A show insider told the Express: “Strictly bosses are very keen to get Prue Leith on board for the 2025 line-up, and are working hard on making a big money offer.”
They hope she could achieve the same success as previous older contestants like Debbie McGee and Angela Rippon.
The source added that producers want “a more diverse line-up” including “older people or those with disabilities” to appeal to older viewers.
Leith did manage to participate in The Masked Singer earlier this year, appearing as Pegasus, because she kept it secret from most people.
“My agreeing to The Masked Singer went unchallenged by nannying friends and family, mainly because they didn’t know about it,” she confessed.
Only her husband was aware of her participation due to the show’s secrecy requirements.
She told others she was taking singing lessons, explaining: “I pretended to everyone else that I was having singing lessons because I’d wanted to sing forever.”
Despite being eliminated second on The Masked Singer, she embraced the opportunity.
“When the big moment came, I didn’t do well,” she admitted. “With nothing more to lose, I just went for it and belted out Oh, What a Beautiful Morning at full tilt.”
The 85-year-old reflected on her past television appearances, as she admitted she had accepted invitations she “should have steered clear of”.
“On Would I Lie to You?, I sat there like a turnip, too slow to get a word in between the professional comedians’ whip-fast banter,” Leith said.