Nigella Lawson confirmed as new Great British Bake Off judge, as Prue Leith shares verdict on her replacement

Nigella Lawson has officially been unveiled as a new judge on The Great British Bake Off.

The world-renowned chef and TV icon said in a statement that she is “bubbling with excitement” to be joining the series.

She will be stepping into the shoes of Dame Prue Leith, who announced her departure from the series last week after almost a decade as a judge on the show, and will be joining hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.

In a statement, Lawson said she was “uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now!”

She continued: “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!”

Revealing her verdict on her replacement, Leith said she was "thrilled that Nigella is to experience brilliant Bake Off. She’s sassy, fun and she knows her onions — and her croissants, cake and crumble.”

Leith first joined the show in 2017 when the series moved from the BBC to Channel 4, and has been a mainstay on it as a judge ever since.

The cookery writer and restaurateur stepped down from the role for the programme’s Stand Up to Cancer celebrity spin-off back in 2024, with Lady Caroline Waldegrave taking her place.

Announcing that she has decided to exit the programme for good, she said in a statement last week: "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 [Hammond] and Noel [Fielding] and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4."

She added: "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."

The Great British Bake Off is available to watch on Channel 4 on catch-up.

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