Prue Leith says 'I'll miss him until I die' as she struggles with loss of 'best friend'

Edinburgh Live

13-05-2025

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Dame Prue Leith has shared a touching confession stating "I'll miss him until the day I die", as she opened her heart about the devastating loss within her family.
Beloved chef Dame Prue, who has risen to stardom in recent years after sharing her culinary knowledge on some of the nation's favourite programmes, gave an insight into her personal heartache.
Although her TV career had taken off prior, it was in 2016 that Dame Prue secured arguably her most renowned gig, when she stepped in alongside Paul Hollywood to critique on The Great British Bake Off.
Now, the 85-year-old has opened up about her life away from the screen and the sorrow over the death of her "best friend".
(Image: BBC)
Pouring out her sadness for her beloved siblings, Dame Prue confided in an interview with The Times about their bond, remarking: "David died in 2012, and Jamie, six years younger than me, died three years ago. It feels like yesterday. He was my best friend, confidant, supporter and critic and he knew what mattered in life: his family were his world, and his friends were important."
As she looked back on her brother Jamie's life, Dame Prue shared a heartfelt account of his varied past roles and commitment as a "househusband" taking care of his four children: "He had various jobs, as an actor, restaurateur, journalist and businessman, but mostly he was a househusband, looking after four children while his wife, the writer Penny Junor, brought home the bacon. He wrote a hilarious memoir, Ironing John: The Househusband's Tale."
In her loving tribute, Dame Prue spoke candidly about how the loss of her brother continues to weigh on her: "When the children had grown up, he took an office job. When he retired, he said it was to spend more time with his tennis racket, fishing rod and golf clubs. I will miss him until the day I die."
Outside of her personal reflections, Dame Prue has strongly advocated for assisted dying, having previously discussed her brother David's painful fight with bone cancer.
(Image: PA)
During an interview with Sky News in April last year, she revealed the extent of his suffering: "He was spending every three weeks out of four in absolute agony."
Further explaining the impact on their family, she recounted: "For his family to be round while he was crying, begging to die, begging to be given more morphine, it was desperate to watch."
Her remarks came as MPs in the UK engaged in debates around the emotive topic of assisted dying before heading into a parliamentary vote.
In October 2024, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater introduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-25 to Parliament, a bill that seeks to "allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life".
Following parliamentary approval with a vote count of 330 in favour to 275 against, the bill was slated for further examination by a public bill committee. More details on the bill's developments can be found here.