‘Great British Bake Off’ Finale Spoiled After Judge Prue Leith Tweets Winner’s Name

Prue Leith, judge of The Great British Bake Off, received backlash on Tuesday after spoiling the finale hours before it aired.

Leith, 77, accidentally announced the winner of the competition to her more than 18,000 followers on Twitter.

The tweet was quickly deleted and replaced with an apology for her gaffe. The famed restaurateur and television presenter explained that she was in a different time zone when she sent the tweet out.

I am so sorry to the fans of the show for my mistake this morning, I am in a different time zone and mortified by my error #GBBO.

— Prue Leith (@PrueLeith) October 31, 2017

“I am so sorry to the fans of the show for my mistake this morning,” her tweet read. “I am in a different time zone and mortified by my error #GBBO.”

Despite the apology, many viewers were quick to judge Leith for the spoiler. The incident was preceded by the uproar over judge Mary Berry leaving the show and being replaced by Leith.

 

Mary Berry’s reaction to Prue Leith revealing the winner of Bake Off early. #GBBOFinal pic.twitter.com/LhrROfoEaR

— Elliot Gonzalez (@elliot_gonzalez) October 31, 2017

‘Prue Leith is totally better than Mary Berry’

*Reveals who won #GBBOFinal*

Me: pic.twitter.com/VKnzf9ZOrP

— MATT (@M44Tweet) October 31, 2017

When Prue Leith accidentally tweets who won #GBBOFinal early! pic.twitter.com/k7HFuO1eU0

— Cate (@Cateeeeey) October 31, 2017

The amateur baking competition is wildly popular both in the U.K. and abroad.

Last year the series wrapped its final season on BBC and moved to Channel 4.  Soon after the series changed networks, hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, along with judge Berry, announced they were leaving the show.

Leith’s spoiling of the finale didn’t stop viewers from tuning in, however.

According to The Guardian,“The programme attracted an overnight audience of 7.7 million, a 34.6% share of the audience and well above the average for the series before the final of 6 million.”