‘Great British Bake Off’ Names TV Chef Nigella Lawson as Judge
TV chef and cookbook writer Nigella Lawson has been tapped to replace Prue Leith as a judge on Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off competition series.
“I’m uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now! Of course it’s daunting to be following in the footsteps of Prue Leith and Mary Berry before her, great dames both, but I’m also bubbling with excitement,” Lawson, author of the popular comfort food recipe book Simply Nigella, said on the Instagram page for the U.K. TV baking competition series.
Lawson’s next TV act on The Great British Baking Show follows Leith announced her departure after serving as a longtime judge on another Instagram Post. “After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off. Bake Off,” Leith wrote.
A former restaurateur, cookbook author and catering business owner, Leith joined the baking competition series as a judge in 2017. She replaced Mary Berry when the series moved from the BBC to Channel 4 in the U.K. The series streams on Netflix in the United States.
“The Great British Bake Off is more than a television program, it’s a national treasure — and it’s a huge honor to be entrusted with it. I’m just thrilled to be joining the team and all the new bakers to come, I wish the marvelous Prue all the best, and am giddily grateful for the opportunity!” Lawson added.
Lawson, who has also made headlines over the years as part went through a very public divorce with former husband Charles Saatchi, has used being a TV chef, including on the ABC series The Taste, and publishing cookbooks to drive her on-screen career.
