Prue Leith’s sudden speech difficulty during a severe migraine left her husband fearing the worst. Doctors later determined it was not a stroke.
Dame Prue Leith was rushed to hospital after a severe migraine left her struggling to speak, prompting her husband to fear she was having a stroke.
The 86-year-old former Great British Bake Off judge was staying in Yorkshire when the episode happened. Leith later revealed the frightening experience in her “Prue’s News” column for The Oldie magazine.
Advertisement
Migraine Symptoms Took a Frightening Turn
Leith said the attack initially followed a pattern she was familiar with. She has experienced migraines since she was nine and described usually developing visual symptoms before a severe headache.
During this episode, however, she experienced a rare symptom that affected her ability to communicate. Her speech became so difficult to understand that her husband, John Playfair, became concerned she could be having a stroke.
Leith said she knew she was experiencing a migraine and tried to explain this to her husband, but she could not form words clearly enough to reassure him.
Playfair contacted their doctor, who asked Leith several questions commonly used to check for signs of a stroke, including whether she could raise her arms, make a fist and whether one side of her face was drooping.
Although she could perform the movements and did not report pain, the doctor decided that the sudden speech problem needed urgent medical assessment and arranged an ambulance to take her to Harrogate Hospital.
Advertisement
Tests Ruled Out a Stroke
At the hospital, Leith was assessed by medical staff and later underwent a CT scan. She eventually left the hospital after around 10 hours, with the episode attributed to a migraine rather than a stroke.
Leith said the experience highlighted why sudden changes in speech should be taken seriously. Even though she recognised her symptoms as a migraine, the sudden difficulty speaking was concerning enough for her husband and doctors to act quickly.
She also praised the NHS staff who cared for her, describing them as professional, sympathetic and helpful.
Advertisement
Why Stroke-Like Symptoms Need Urgent Attention
Leith’s experience also highlights an important distinction between migraine and stroke symptoms. Some migraines can cause neurological symptoms, including visual disturbances and speech difficulties, which can resemble signs of a stroke.
However, sudden trouble speaking, facial weakness, arm weakness or other sudden neurological changes can be signs of a stroke and require urgent medical assessment. It is not always possible to tell the difference at home.
Why Migraine Can Mimic Stroke Symptoms
Recent research also highlights why migraine can sometimes be mistaken for a stroke. A 2026 study found that migraine with aura accounted for about 1% of stroke-code activations, with speech symptoms such as aphasia (brain-related language disorder) associated with changes that can complicate diagnosis (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Neuroimaging biomarkers in migraine with aura mimicking stroke: A qualitative and quantitative analysis of perfusion CT alterations
).
In Leith’s case, the decision to seek emergency care meant that doctors could investigate the symptoms and rule out a stroke.
The television personality, who has enjoyed a career spanning food, broadcasting and education, was made a dame in 2021 for her services to food, broadcasting and charity.
Her recent health scare serves as a reminder that even familiar conditions can sometimes present differently—and that sudden stroke-like symptoms should never be ignored.
Reference:
- Neuroimaging biomarkers in migraine with aura mimicking stroke: A qualitative and quantitative analysis of perfusion CT alterations – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42265914/)
Source-Medindia