Prue Leith: I couldn't sleep after my Great British Bake-of slip

Leith, 77, was in Bhutan when she tweeted her congratulations to Sophie Faldo, hours before the Channel 4 final.

She told RTE’s The Ray D’Arcy Show that the nation’s prime minister Tshering Tobgay called her after the error.

“He was rather pleased because I said Bhutan. It was good for tourism I think,” Leith said.

After the gaffe, the show’s judge had told the Press Association: “I’m in Bhutan. The time difference is massive. I thought that they got it six hours ago.

“I’m in too much of a state to talk about it. It was a mistake. I f***** up.”

Now she has said that when she realised what she had done she tried to delete her tweet.

“I was in such a panic I couldn’t work my phone. I couldn’t delete it,” Leith said.

“So I rang my secretary and she said: ‘Don’t worry, I have already done it’ - 89 seconds afterwards but it was too late.”

Leith said everyone at Bake Off and Channel 4 was very supportive, but added: “It was days before I could sleep properly.”