Popular TV chef Nigella Lawson has been bringing her culinary expertise to The Great British Bake Off this series, after she replaced Prue Leith as a judge on the show. The 66-year-old has joined Paul Hollywood in the tent to critique the bakers' creations, while hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond lead proceedings.
Nigella's debut has been met with widespread acclaim from both critics and viewers. "Nigella is a great addition and I look forward to watching her find her footing as the season progresses. I've been a fan of hers for several years," one person wrote on Instagram.
First Husband John Diamond
Nigella met her first husband John Diamond in 1989, while they were both working at The Telegraph newspaper. "I was a journalist - not a food journalist, but I did do quite a bit of cooking. As a consequence I cooked for editors quite a bit," she later told BBC Radio 2. "[John] said to me, 'You always talk about food in this really confident way. You should write about it!' So I did."
The couple got married three years later in 1992, before welcoming two children together, a daughter called Cosima, who is now 31, and a son called Bruno, 29. Just three years after their wedding, John was diagnosed with throat cancer, and died in 2001 at the age of 47.
Nigella took just two weeks off work to grieve, as she wanted to return to keep herself busy. Speaking to The Telegraph shortly after John's death, she said: "I did feel I was spiralling into a Kathy Burke character and tried going out, but I prefer it here. Filming keeps me busy."
Second Marriage to Charles Saatchi
Nigella tied the knot again in 2003. She married Charles Saatchi, an art collector and advertising agency founder, who had been friends with her late husband. However, their marriage broke down years later.
Nigella also faced heartbreak earlier in life, as her sister Thomasina died from breast cancer in 1993, and her mum Vanessa died of liver cancer in 1985 when Nigella was just 25. The star's famous dad, Nigel, later died at the age of 91 in 2023. Nigel was a prominent British Conservative politician, and financial journalist.
Life in Chelsea and Bake Off Return
Now, Nigella is believed to live in one of London's most sought-after neighbourhoods. Her Chelsea home sits on a quiet street lined with former stable conversions.
Nigella is set to return to screens tonight (Tuesday, October 6) for the latest edition of Bake Off, which will see the bakers complete new challenges in Audience Choice Week. For the first time in the show's history, the bakers will face a series of tasks that have been chosen by the viewers at home.
Week three's signature challenge will also see some familiar faces enter the Bake Off tent for a special Bake with a Relative task. Chosen by viewers, the challenge will introduce the bakers' loved ones as they join them in the tent to create a signature cheesecake.
The Great British Bake Off is available to stream on Channel 4.
