Former The Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith has shared her thoughts on being replaced by Nigella Lawson, following her departure from the Channel 4 series.

The 86-year-old announced last month that she would be stepping down after nine years of critiquing amateur bakers’ creations on the show.

In a heartfelt statement at the time, she said: "Now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86, for goodness’ sake!). There’s so much I’d like to do - not least spend summers enjoying my garden.

"Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it."

It was later confirmed that Nigella will take her place on the judging panel alongside Paul Hollywood.

Opening up about her decision on Scott Mills’ BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Friday, Prue reflected fondly on her time with the programme.

"Nine years is enough. I liked it, and I like the guys on it - I will miss it," she said, speaking to Scott alongside Beverley Knight and Jack Whitehall.

"It’s a great company, and who wouldn't like the job when all you do is eat cake? Perfect."

Sharing what led to her making the decision, she said the filming schedule had begun to limit her personal plans.

"I’m running out of time, I need more time to do stuff, especially having holidays in the summer, because we always film Bake Off through the summer," she explained.

"I’ve had a lot of winter holidays in the southern hemisphere, but I suddenly thought, 'I’ll never go to the South of France again'. I’ll never be able to have a holiday in Spain. So I just took the plunge."

Prue went on to say she had "dithered" over the decision for two years before finally stepping away.

Addressing Nigella becoming her successor, she was full of praise.

"They've got Nigella, so they’re fine. She is so good, she’ll be wonderful," she said.

After her fellow guests in the studio suggested she would be sorely missed, Prue jokingly quipped that she would be forgotten in no time.

"No you won't, you’ll fall in love with Nigella instantly - she’s so clever," she added.

Nigella, 66, has admitted she feels "a teeny bit frightened" about joining the long-running show, which also features Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond as hosts.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn’t," she confessed during an appearance on This Morning.

"Prue is just fantastic, and Mary Berry was great before - and that’s when I get really frightened."

Still, she described the opportunity as "an honour" adding: "I just want to do it as well as I can."

As for how she'll sit alongside Paul Hollywood on the panel, Nigella suggested her approach will differ from his famously exacting standards.

"I am a person who isn’t looking for fault, I’m looking for pleasure," she said. "Paul is the technical - I’ll be all about the eating."