Prue Leith has written a trilogy of novel she hopes will replace 'Downton Abbey'.
Prue Leith
The 'Great British Bake Off' judge was an avid writer before she landed the gig on the baking show earlier this year, but she has admitted she's now got back into penning books and is hoping her love story will be the inspiration for a new TV show that could fill the void left by the hit period drama when it concluded in 2015.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, she said: "I'm finishing a trilogy of novels. It starts in the war, and there's love stories through three generations of the same family. My big ambition is for it to be the new 'Downton Abbey'."
And, although she doesn't want to land a starring part in the potential TV show, the 77-year-old restauranteur would like to have a little cameo appearance.
She explained: "I don't want to be in it, I want to write it. Maybe a little cameo performance. A lot of it is based on personal experience - especially the middle book, that was my period, cooking in England from the 60s to now."
And Prue looks set to have a lot of work on her hands if a broadcaster does decide to snap up the idea for a television show as it seems like she may be about to sign a new deal with the baking show - meaning she'll be filming the second series soon.
She said recently: "I'm still hoping Channel 4 will ask me back for the second series. They've asked me about timings and schedules but I've not seen or heard anything about a contract. It could all change, like 'The X Factor'."