Who Is Prue Leith? Age, Career, Family and Life With John Playfair

Dame Prue Leith is one of Britain’s best-known food figures — a restaurateur, cookery writer and, since 2017, a judge on The Great British Bake Off. Off screen, her life has been shaped by two marriages, two children with very different public profiles, and a decades-long career that started long before television.

This guide covers her age, career, marriages, children and net worth, with links through to the full story on each.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Career

Leith was born in Cape Town and moved to London in 1960 to train at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School. She built her name as a restaurateur and caterer before founding Leiths School of Food and Wine in 1975, which became one of the UK’s best-regarded cookery schools. She went on to chair the Restaurateurs Association, write novels and food columns, and build a career as a broadcaster long before Bake Off made her a household name — she judged Great British Menu for over a decade before joining Bake Off as a judge in 2017.

Marriages: Rayne Kruger and John Playfair

Leith has been married twice. She met writer and property developer Rayne Kruger when she was 21; the pair married in 1974 and stayed together until his death in 2002, aged 80. They had two children together.

After more than a decade as a widow, Leith met retired fashion designer John Playfair, and the two married in October 2016 in Scotland. She has spoken about the couple’s five-year courtship before marrying and about wanting to make the most of their time together as she gets older. Playfair now appears alongside her on Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, largely in home and countryside segments.

Children: Danny Kruger and Li-Da Kruger

Leith and Rayne Kruger had two children: Danny Kruger, the Member of Parliament for East Wiltshire, and Li-Da Kruger, a filmmaker. Leith has been candid in interviews about not always being a “sweet mum” while building her career, and about the public disagreements she and Danny have had over issues including assisted dying — something the pair explored together in the Channel 4 documentary Prue and Danny’s Death Road Trip.

Net Worth

Leith’s wealth comes from decades running restaurants and a cookery school, plus book royalties and television work. For a full breakdown of the reported figures, see Prue Leith’s net worth.

Life in the Cotswolds

Leith and Playfair live near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, where they film Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen together. The show — now in its third series on ITV1 — follows Leith cooking with celebrity guests in her own kitchen, with Playfair making regular appearances.

Now in her mid-eighties, Leith has become more open about slowing down: she’s spoken publicly about using hearing aids and about stepping back from the celebrity edition of Bake Off to protect her energy for the main series and for time with Playfair.

FAQ

How old is Prue Leith?

She was born on 18 February 1940, making her 86 as of 2026.

Who is Prue Leith married to?

She has been married to retired fashion designer John Playfair since October 2016. Her first husband, writer Rayne Kruger, died in 2002.

Who are Prue Leith’s children?

She has two children with Rayne Kruger: Danny Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire, and Li-Da Kruger, a filmmaker.

What is Prue Leith’s net worth?

See our full breakdown of the reported figures.

What shows has Prue Leith appeared on?

She judged Great British Menu for over a decade, has judged The Great British Bake Off since 2017, and co-stars with her husband on Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen.

Sources: Prue Leith, Wikipedia; interviews via AOL and The Independent.