Nigella Lawson has made her Great British Bake Off debut in the first trailer for the show’s new season. The celebrity chef was picked by Channel 4 as Prue Leith’s replacement on judging duties.
Nigella’s TV career and role on the show
The TV cook is no stranger to the small screen, with her own shows such as Channel 4’s Nigella Bites, her self-titled ITV talk show and her BBC series Nigella’s Christmas Kitchen airing over the years. The 66-year-old is one of the UK’s most popular TV chefs, rising to fame through her cooking books, including her debut book How to Eat and her 2000 bestseller How to Be a Domestic Goddess, which have sold over eight million books worldwide to date.
Bake Off fans were left stunned earlier in the year when it was confirmed that Dame Prue Leith was leaving the series after nearly a decade. It was soon announced that Nigella was replacing her on judging duties. Prue joined the series in 2017 after she replaced Mary Berry following the show’s move from the BBC to Channel 4. Questions were raised about Prue’s future last year when she was missing from last year's Stand Up to Cancer special, where her friend Caroline Waldegrave filled in.
Trailer reveals new judging lineup
On Tuesday (August 25), Bake Off fans were given a glimpse at Nigella in her new role alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood, and presenters Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond through a new trailer. The trailer opens with Paul, who has appeared on every season of Bake Off dating back to 2010, wearing a light blue shirt and yielding a fork. Approaching the camera, he says: “Go on then.”
Suddenly Noel appears, wearing one of his signature eccentric and brightly-coloured shirts, as he cuts across Paul with his own fork and says: “Not so fast, blue eyes.” Also holding a fork is This Morning presenter Alison, who steps into frame looking glamorous in a vibrant, patterned dress before telling Noel and Paul that it’s ‘ladies first’.
In a tease on what kind of role she will be play on Bake Off, the trailer ends with Nigella being heard clearing her throat and pushing her way through the crowd. Wearing a purple zip-through jumpsuit as she makes a beeline for the camera with her fork. A graphic on screen then states that ‘the bake is back’ over a brightly-coloured and flashing background. Filming is complete on the series, which will air from next month.
Nigella’s reaction to joining the show
Nigella said in a statement at the time: “Im 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.
“The Great British Bake Off is more than a television programme, it’s a National Treasure – and it’s a huge honour to be entrusted with it. I’m just thrilled to be joining the team and all the new bakers to come. I wish the marvellous Prue all the best, and am giddily grateful for the opportunity!”
Appearing on This Morning back when she was first announced, Nigella assured fans that while she's ‘excited’, she is taking her Bake Off duties ‘very seriously’. “The thing about Bake Off is that it’s about the programme – which is an institution of national treasure status – and it’s about the bakers, and I just want to be there and be a part of it,” she said.
She added: “I am a tiny bit frightened, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that. I am very excited, but I take it very seriously. The thing about Bake Off is it’s about the programme, which is an institution of national treasure status. It’s about the bakers and I just want to be there and be part of it. I think Bake Off is enduringly popular because it feels like it’s about community, people need that.”
