Nigella Lawson has dismissed reports of a feud with Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, telling BBC Radio 2 the rumours were "absolutely nonsense". The renowned chef, 66, joined the popular baking programme following the exit of beloved judge Prue Leith. Speculation quickly emerged suggesting Paul and Nigella were at odds, something the latter was determined to clarify during a recent radio interview.
Nigella's Two-Word Response
Speaking to BBC Radio 2's Sarah Cox, Nigella described the reports as "absolutely nonsense" before adding: "I don't know where that came from."
Nigella revealed to The Times that she anticipated there might equally be speculation about a romance between them as much as talk of a rift: "What will people say of us on the programme?" she said. "I feel that half will go, 'Oh, there's clearly something going on with them,' and the other half will say, 'Oh, clearly they don't like each other at all.' And I feel like that's fine."
She disclosed that, once the "feud" rumours started spreading, she telephoned Paul to assure him she hadn't been saying "horrible things" about him privately. He grasped the situation immediately.
Light-Hearted Banter and Chemistry Test
There is undoubtedly some light-hearted banter between the duo, though, with Nigella confessing: "The thing is, I certainly tease him, but he's so wonderful to tease. He loves it."
She has even made jokes about Paul's striking blue-eyed gaze, proposing that anyone conversing with him ought to be "twinkled to death". Speaking to The Guardian, she added: "He often acts bad cop and does that laser stare but he's always himself, which encourages other people to be themselves, too. We complement each other."
Nigella also disclosed that Paul will sometimes pretend to "nod off" when she discusses food for an extended period. Prior to being formally confirmed for the Bake Off role, producers organised a "chemistry test" between the duo – and thankfully, it proved highly successful.
Co-Stars Weigh In
"It was lucky that we did get on. Can you imagine if we didn't? I bet Paul would have said so!" she said.
Fellow presenter Noel Fielding has additionally observed that Paul and Nigella possess contrasting preferences and can occasionally clash quite firmly, which he considers creates "quite exciting television". "But you know what, they sort of, she, they have slightly different tastes, don't they?" he said on the Dish from Waitrose podcast. "She likes very salty kind of savoury things. And he likes more sweet. He's got more of a sweet tooth."
Nigella has already devised a moniker for her co-judge, sharing: "One of the many lovely things about Paul is that he's good at being teased. I called him 'Professor Precision', then he teased me back and suddenly it all relaxed. He's much more playful than he looks on camera."
Paul, for his part, has been similarly praising of Nigella's addition to the programme. Speaking to Woman magazine, he commented: "Nigella has such a wonderful way with words; she's very good at explaining to people watching it what it tastes like. She was brilliant. Nigella fitted in beautifully; it was lovely working with her."
Dame Prue Leith, who departed the programme after nine years as a judge, revealed Nigella had initially appeared somewhat "nervous" but was more than capable of settling in without requiring guidance from her. "I didn't have to give her any tips, but I did tell her to just enjoy it because she's so good. She was quite nervous," she stated. "She's so well qualified and knows exactly what she's doing, and the audience love her. I saw her and Paul last week, and they're getting on well. She's nice, I'm glad it's her."
