Prue Leith takes a swipe at Mary Berry's classic Victoria Sponge recipe

Prue Leith has taken a swipe at Mary Berry's Victoria Sponge baking technique.

The Great British Bake Off is due to return to TV screens on 13 September – but in a brand new promo interview ahead of its launch, it sounded as if the competition had already started.

Restaurateur and judge Prue Leith, 82, criticised her predecessor Mary Berry's approach to making a classic Victoria sponge cake. Berry, 87, left the show back in 2016 but her recipes were still front of Leith's mind it seems.

Leith suggested that the best way to make a Victoria sponge was to cream the sugar and butter first.

But when her fellow Bake Off judge, Paul Hollywood, said he could see no difference in taste between that method and simply throwing in all the ingredients at once, Leith was quick to defend her technique.

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“I think all-in-one is Mary Berry’s method... it’s a little heavier, a little more solid,” she joked.

Hollywood did not hold back from the drama. “Mary hates Prue! Mary hates Prue!” he chanted.

But Leith was quick to fire back. “I’ll tell you what, Paul Hollywood, I probably lift up Mary Berry’s cake book a little more than I do yours,” she said.

This season of The Great British Bake Off is set to be the most challenging yet.

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“In the very early years, the challenges were less challenging, but as the bakers have got better, the challenges have got harder,” Leith told The Mirror.

“Can you imagine how difficult it is to judge 12 absolutely perfect, identical somethings? It’s impossible!”

This year’s line-up unveiled a more diverse set of contestants than ever before.

From a nuclear scientist and an architectural assistant to a cardiovascular research associate and former charity director, this year's cast comes from far and wide, with families from Saudi Arabia, Poland, Libya and Sweden.

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Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will join hosts Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding for the 13th season of the beloved series.

The foursome took to the show’s official Twitter page last week to share the exciting news. “In knead of some good news? Here’s a little something… The Great British Bake Off is back on your screens on Tuesday 13th September at 8pm!”

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