Coronavirus: GBBO star Prue Leith thinks the young should be saved over elderly

Prue Leith attends a photocall during the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2019 on August 10, 2019 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images)

Great British Bake Off’s Prue Leith has said she would rather see a young person saved than an elderly person during the coronavirus pandemic.

The deadly virus is known to have a greater impact on the elderly and those with pre-existing medical condition, but Leith says it is “a no brainer’ whether it is preferential for a youngster or someone her own age to die from it.

Talking on the Fortunately…With Fi and Jane podcast, the 80-year-old said: “If there’s a choice between a 20-year-old dying and an 80-year-old dying… it’s a no brainer.

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“I am quite philosophical. I’ve had quite a lucky life. I’ve had two happy marriages, two wonderful children.

“If I was knocked over by a bus tomorrow, it would be a fair cop, I’ve had wonderful life and it would be ridiculous to expect it to go on like this forever.

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“If I was knocked out by this virus it would be a surprise because I’m fairly resilient and I tend to throw things off quickly but you know what, we’re going to die anyway.”

Discussing her own death, she admitted to be frightened of the “process” of death, if not dying itself.

She added: “I’m not frightened of dying, what I’m frightened of is the process of it.

“I don’t want a horrible, painful, distressing death. I think that’s the terrible thing about what COVID has done – this business of not being able to die with your family around you and not being able to lie in some degree of comfort.

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“I think even if you are allowed in to see your love ones with a mask and Perspex screen in front of you and looking like an alien and if your mother is a bit senile or confused – how terrible for them.

“But you know, occasionally these terrible things happen to the world like war or pestilence and because we live such comfortable lives mostly we are tremendously shocked when it happens, but every hundred years or so this sort of thing does happen.”

Fortunately…With Fi and Jane is available to listen to online now.