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NEED TO KNOW
Nigella Lawson is the new judge of The Great British Baking Show, announcing on Instagram that she was "bubbling with excitement" at the huge "honor"
The celebrity chef is taking over the role after Prue Leith announced her departure on Jan. 21
Prue Leith was the co-judge of the competition series since 2017
Nigella Lawsonhas somePrue Leith-sized shoes to fill as the new judge on theGreat British Baking Show.
The celebrity chef, 66, was announced as the new co-judge of theGreat British Baking Show(known asThe Great British Bake-Offin the U.K.) five days after the 86-year-old dame announced that her ninth season, collection 13, which aired in 2025, was her last.
In a jointInstagram postbetween Lawson and the show, the Brit confirmed she was "uncharacteristically rather lost for words," about her new role.
"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," she continued.
Lawson will be joining judgePaul Hollywood, who has been a mainstay since the very beginning, and humorous hostsNoel FieldingandAlison Hammond.Leithhad joined the judging panel in 2017 afterMary Berry's departure.
In her announcement, Lawson also called the show "more than a television program" and said it was a "huge honor to be entrusted with."
"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," her message concluded.
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Leith shared that she was "thrilled that Nigella is to experience brilliantBake Off," in a press release to coincide with the announcement. "She's sassy, fun and she knows her onions — and her croissants, cake and crumble," she added.
Rumors swirled about Lawson's involvement just hours after Leith's departure was announced on social media, with a source tellingThe Sunon Jan. 22 that "Contract discussions are in the final stages and, all being well, Nigella will be heating up the famous tent soon."
The daughter of Nigel Lawson, a conservative British politician, and Vanessa Salmon, an heiress to a tea company, Nigella grew up in London and was the literary editor atThe Sunday Timesin her 20s before switching to reviewing books, restaurants and more across several news outlets, she said onMeatless: A Podcast About Eatingin 2021. From there, she wrote her first of now 13 food-focused books called,How to Eat, released in 1998.
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The mother of two has hosted numerous food TV shows, starting with Channel 4'sNigella Bitesand moving on to other series like Food Network'sNigella FeastsandNigella Express. She has also appeared as a guest chef on talk shows and a judge for competition series likeMasterChef AustraliaandIron Chef America.
Leith announced that she is exiting the baking competition show onInstagram, writing, "After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off. 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."
Leith added that it feels like "the right time" for her to step away, noting, "I'm 86 for goodness sake!"
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