Nigella Lawson Joins Great British Bake Off as New Judge Alongside Paul Hollywood

Nigella Lawson has joined the Great British Bake Off as its new judge, taking over from Prue Leith, who departed the role in January. Lawson will now judge alongside Paul Hollywood, according to an interview published by The Guardian.

Leith, 86, stepped down from her soggy-bottom-spotting duties earlier this year, citing her age. Lawson's appointment as her replacement was met with what The Guardian described as "widespread jubilation" among fans of the baking competition.

In the interview, Hollywood described Lawson's presence on set, recalling that she would relax on a chaise longue between takes, "reading a book and sipping a coffee while someone fed her grapes." Lawson specified that the grapes were "peeled."

The two judges spoke about developing a rapport during filming, according to the report, including bonding over shared tastes such as dirty martinis. The pair reportedly refer to themselves as the "Salty Gang," and Hollywood is said to have been nicknamed "Professor Precision" by Lawson.

The Guardian reported that Lawson's arrival has generated considerable interest ahead of the show's upcoming series, with the publication suggesting the competition had been "at risk of growing stale" before her appointment was announced.

Lawson, widely known in Britain as a television cook and food writer often referred to as the "domestic goddess," is expected to bring her established culinary persona to the judging panel. Further details of the new series, including its broadcast schedule, were not specified in the report.