Nigella Lawson, famously known as the Domestic Goddess, has revealed her main concern as she prepares to join the judging panel on Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off. Taking over from Prue Leith, who stepped down after nine series, Nigella admits she’s a little anxious about her new role — particularly about knocking over contestants’ cakes.
Speaking on ITV’s This Morning, Nigella confessed to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, “I’m a teeny bit frightened. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that.” She added with a laugh, “I am the clumsiest person in the world, so as long as I don’t knock any of their cakes off a table.”
Nigella emphasized her approach to judging: “I don’t look for fault; I look for pleasure. That’s my basic attitude in life.” She contrasted her style with that of fellow judge Paul Hollywood, describing him as “Mr Technical,” while she focuses more on the enjoyment of tasting. “If I see my job as eating, it’s not so daunting. I can eat,” she said.
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Acknowledging the legacy of her predecessors, Nigella admitted feeling the pressure: “Prue is just fantastic. And Mary Berry was fantastic before. When I think about that, I get really frightened. But I’m honoured to have been offered this role, and I want to do it as well as I can.”
Prue Leith announced her departure from Bake Off earlier this month, sharing on Instagram that after judging more than 400 challenges, it was the right time for her to step back. “Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years,” she wrote. “But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!). There’s so much I’d like to do, especially spending summers in my garden.”
The Great British Bake Off returns soon on Channel 4, bringing new baking challenges and Nigella’s unique flavour to the judging table.