Here's Why Prue Leith Used Crutches In The Great British Baking Show: Holidays

Hoards of viewers tuned in to The Great British Baking Show yet again this year – 7.9 million of us, to be exact, according to Radio Times. Some of us watched it for the impressive bevy of baked goods showcased week after week, some watched for Noel Fielding's hilarious asides, but many watched for the undeniable comfort the show offers – a feeling that was otherwise in short supply this year.

According to The Los Angeles Times, the show's soothing effect has something to do with the genuine friendships that are formed onset and the fact that The Great British Baking Show is reality TV but there's nothing underhanded, nasty, or hurtful about it. So, when the show's special holiday series premiered and dear, sweet judge Prue Leith teetered out on crutches, fans were surely shook. What happened to Prue and why didn't anyone give us a heads up so we could at least send flowers? Well, don't be too concerned, GBBO enthusiasts. In real time, the injury plaguing Prue has long-since healed and she's walking around in her brightly-colored blouses completely crutch-free. Here's what happened.

Fans who watched the most recent season of The Great British Baking Show will know, the last time we saw Prue she appeared to be completely healthy. So what happened in the time between the finale and the premiere of the holiday edition? The answer is ... nothing. According to Decider, Prue actually injured herself an entire year ago, while filming the opening to the 2019 season and this year's holiday episodes just happened to be filmed right around that same time.

We know, you're still wondering what the heck landed Prue in crutches, to begin with. Well, you might recall the Wizard of Oz-themed GBBO intro when Paul Hollywood as the Tin Man, Prue Leith as the Cowardly Lion, Noel Fielding as Dorothy, and then-co-host Sandi Toksvig as the Scarecrow encountered one another on the yellow brick road. That's the moment when tragedy struck Prue Leith's Achilles tendon. Leith gave a play-by-play in The Spectator in August of 2019, writing, "I leap out onto the yellow brick road, roaring — I feel a hammer blow to my ankle, and end up whimpering like the Cowardly Lion I'm portraying. I have snapped my Achilles tendon." Thankfully, Prue seems to have fully recovered. If you've tuned into her Instagram lately, you'll see her maneuvering around her kitchen with ease, showing us how to make a lovely granita out of overripe melons. Phew.