The Great British Bake Off tent is about to get a whole new energy with judge Nigella Lawson.
Dame Prue Leith announced last week that she was stepping away from The Great British Bake Off, and we’ve been patiently waiting to see who would step into the role. Britain’s Channel 4 has now confirmed who will be taking Prue’s place beside Paul Hollywood, and she’s a culinary icon.
Nigella Lawson will officially join the show as a judge for its upcoming season. In a statement, Nigella admitted she was “uncharacteristically rather lost for words,” calling it “daunting” to follow in the footsteps of both Prue and Mary Berry, but adding that she’s also “bubbling with excitement.”
For decades, Nigella has been one of the most recognizable faces in food television, with a way of making even the simplest slice of cake feel a little bit poetic. She’s beloved not just for her recipes, but also for the warmth and wit she brings to the kitchen—an approach that feels right at home in the Bake Off tent.
Why Nigella Lawson Feels Like a Natural Fit for Bake Off
Nigella’s appointment feels like an obvious match for a show that prizes gentle expertise, good humor and truly winning cakes. She emphasized just how meaningful the role feels, especially given the legacy of the judges who came before her.
Dame Prue, meanwhile, gave her successor a warm send-off, saying she was “thrilled” about the choice and praising Lawson as “sassy, fun,” and someone who “knows her onions—and her croissants, cake and crumble.”
Channel 4 Chief Content Officer, Ian Katz summed up the moment as “the marriage of two great British icons: Bake Off and Nigella.”
The series will return later this year for its 17th run, and with Nigella’s signature warmth, wit and love of baking’s small pleasures, the tent may be entering its most delicious era yet.
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