Nigella Lawson says Bake Off shuns TV "bullying" - as Paul Hollywood delivers verdict on his new judge

Earlier this year Channel 4 confirmed that Nigella Lawson would be heading into The Great British Bake Off tent as she takes the reins from Prue Leith, who left her role as judge.

The celebrity chef has been forthcoming in her excitement about taking over as judge though admits it's "daunting to be following in the footsteps of Prue Leith and Mary Berry", but despite this she will be facing the challenge head on.

At a recent Channel 4 event, Lawson said of her new role: "I'm looking forward to being part of the gang. I'm so excited, [but] I'm daunted – I bake a lot and I've written a lot about baking, but I'm a ramshackle kind of a baker... I'm going to be thinking, 'My God, why am I judging them?'"

The Great British Bake Off has been on air for over 15 years and remains a staple of annual British television. Indeed, with a brand new judge in the mix as well as a new format introduced, the cosy TV show is full steam ahead and Lawson reckons she has cracked just why people keep returning to the Channel 4 favourite.

She said: "I think why Bake Off really appeals to people in another deep emotional way – it's not just watching for entertainment, although of course there is that – is for many people, especially more recently, there's a breakdown of a sense of community and connection between people and I think that Bake Off really celebrates that."

Lawson noted that while it is a competition, at its core Bake Off is more about "creative collaboration" as well as the support between the bakers. "There isn't that terrible bullying that goes in certain competitive programmes – the thing is, I'm not meaning any in particular, because it's all of them," she added.

"To me, that is incredibly important – it's important for making viewers feel cosy and safe and part of something. It's good to have an example of that, because it becomes increasingly rare."

But as she gears up to head to Welford Park to film the upcoming series, Lawson has teased the kind of judging audiences can expect from her, sharing that she looks "for pleasure and not for fault".

In conversation with fellow judge Paul Hollywood, Lawson said: "You should always find what's good about something, that you can genuinely be enthusiastic about, and then you can talk about things which maybe you think need to be worked on.

"It's a very unproductive way of being a critic, to make people feel diminished – that never helps in life. It is really about encouragement – and looking for delight, because that's what we need in our lives. I will have a problem standing back, because I have a terrible habit of nudging and interfering."

Hollywood sang Lawson's praises, telling press including Radio Times that "she knows what she's talking about".

He elaborated: "It comes down to knowledge – both Mary and Prue have amazing taste-buds and a huge depth of knowledge of what they're talking about, and Nigella exactly the same, comes from the same mould.

"It comes down to bringing your knowledge and also your warmth – both Mary and Prue brought their warmth and I'm sure Nigella's going to do exactly the same, to make the bakers feel at ease."

The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 later this year.

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