Nigella Lawson tipped to replace Prue Leith on The Great British Bake Off after judge quits
Lawson is reportedly in the "final stages" of contract discussions.
Just one day after Prue Leith announced her departure from The Great British Bake Off after nine years, it appears that another judge may have been found to take her place.
The Sun has reported that food writer and TV cook Nigella Lawson is in the final stages of contract discussions to join the show.
A source told the publication: "Nigella’s recognised worldwide. She’s got the cheeky banter down to a tee, with all her work laden with the fun innuendos and naughty patter that are synonymous with Bake Off.
"Prue has been wonderful but Nigella will be a sure-fire hit. Contract discussions are in the final stages and, all being well, Nigella will be heating up the famous tent soon."
RadioTimes.com has approached The Great British Bake Off production company Love Productions. A representative of Lawson declined to comment.
Lawson would be just the fourth judge to appear on the mainline show across its 16 year history, joining Paul Hollywood who has been with the series since the start, and following in the footsteps of both Leith and her predecessor Mary Berry.
She has fronted numerous cooking programmes over the years, including Nigella: At My Table and The Taste. Her most recent appearance was on a one-off special for the BBC, Nigella's Amsterdam Christmas.
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When Leith announced her departure from the beloved Channel 4 series, she said in a statement: "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.
"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 returns later this year.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
