Nigella Lawson is set to bring her unique brand of warmth and expertise to The Great British Bake Off, replacing Prue Leith who stepped down after nine seasons. According to Lawson, she is feeling a mix of emotions - "uncharacteristically rather lost for words" and yet "bubbling with excitement". This sentiment was echoed by Leith herself, describing the arrival of her successor as a thrilling prospect.
Lawson, a veteran TV chef known for her high-end recipes, has been absent from British screens in recent years. Her last series, Nigella's Cook, Eat, Repeat, aired on BBC One in 2020, and since then she has appeared more frequently on Australian television. However, it is worth noting that Lawson's return to the UK was somewhat delayed, with her last stint as a judge being on the Australian version of My Kitchen Rules in 2022.
As an experienced TV presenter, Lawson has worked extensively for Channel 4, including stints on shows such as Nigella Bites and The Taste. On this latter series, contestants prepared dishes for Lawson, Anthony Bourdain, and French chef Ludo Lefebvre to sample.
The arrival of Lawson is a timely one for the baking competition, which has seen its ratings decline in recent years. The show's Channel 4 numbers have never matched those achieved on BBC One during its original run, when it averaged around 10 million viewers per episode. However, with Lawson at the helm, there is a sense that this summer's series will be as mouthwatering as ever - much like her famous chocolate Guinness cake.
For its part, Channel 4 has expressed excitement about the partnership between Bake Off and Nigella. Ian Katz of Channel 4 said: "We're incredibly excited about the marriage of two great British icons: Bake Off and Nigella... this summer's series will be as mouthwatering a prospect as her chocolate Guinness cake".
Lawson, a veteran TV chef known for her high-end recipes, has been absent from British screens in recent years. Her last series, Nigella's Cook, Eat, Repeat, aired on BBC One in 2020, and since then she has appeared more frequently on Australian television. However, it is worth noting that Lawson's return to the UK was somewhat delayed, with her last stint as a judge being on the Australian version of My Kitchen Rules in 2022.
As an experienced TV presenter, Lawson has worked extensively for Channel 4, including stints on shows such as Nigella Bites and The Taste. On this latter series, contestants prepared dishes for Lawson, Anthony Bourdain, and French chef Ludo Lefebvre to sample.
The arrival of Lawson is a timely one for the baking competition, which has seen its ratings decline in recent years. The show's Channel 4 numbers have never matched those achieved on BBC One during its original run, when it averaged around 10 million viewers per episode. However, with Lawson at the helm, there is a sense that this summer's series will be as mouthwatering as ever - much like her famous chocolate Guinness cake.
For its part, Channel 4 has expressed excitement about the partnership between Bake Off and Nigella. Ian Katz of Channel 4 said: "We're incredibly excited about the marriage of two great British icons: Bake Off and Nigella... this summer's series will be as mouthwatering a prospect as her chocolate Guinness cake".