The Great British Bake Off has announced its new judge following the departure of Dame Prue Leith last week.
Channel 4’s popular baking show is judged by Paul Hollywood but since Leith’s departure, speculation has risen and now the new judge is confirmed as Nigella Lawson.
The celebrity chef and cookbook author has made her name in the culinary world and now will be judging the contestants’ bakes.
Bake Off confirms Nigella Lawson as new judge
Lawson said: “I’m 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!”
Dame Prue said: “I’m thrilled that Nigella is to experience brilliant Bake Off. She’s sassy, fun and she knows her onions — and her croissants, cake and crumble.”
Prue Leith announced her departure from the Channel 4 baking show last week.
The 86-year-old said she has “genuinely loved” working on the programme for the past nine series and after judging more than 400 challenges.
She has been a judge on the popular baking show alongside Paul Hollywood since 2017 when the series moved from the BBC to Channel 4.
Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding are the current Bake Off presenters, while Dame Prue also worked with their predecessors Sandi Toksvig and Matt Lucas.
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Dame Prue said in a statement on Wednesday: “Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years, I have genuinely loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4.
“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, not least spend summers enjoying my garden.
“Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it.”
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