Channel 4 has confirmed that Nigella Lawson will take over from Dame Prue Leith as a judge on The Great British Bake Off. In a statement posted on Instagram, Lawson said she was ‘giddily grateful for the opportunity.’
Leith has been a regular fixture of the show since 2017, replacing Mary Berry after GBBO moved from the BBC to Channel 4. Last week, Leith confirmed that she would step down from the role, saying: ‘Now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!).’
Announcing her new role on the show, Lawson said: ‘I’m uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now! 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.’
Reaction to the announcement was swift, with former contestants, presenters and television personalities sharing their support online. Leith herself welcomed the news, commenting: ‘I was hoping it would be Nigella!’
Noel Fielding, who joined Bake Off alongside Leith in 2017, wrote: ‘So excited!!! Welcome to the Mischief Palace xx We will have a blast x’, while Alison Hammond, who took over from Sandi Toksvig in 2023, added: ‘Welcome to the family Queen.’
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We now know that Series 16 of Great British Bake Off was Leith's last. GBBO series 17 will be Lawson's debut.
A changing of the guard
Leith’s departure follows a gradual reduction in her Bake Off commitments. In 2024, Leith announced she would step back from the celebrity series, citing the pressures compounded by such a busy schedule.
Filming for the main series takes place over several consecutive weeks during the summer, and Bake Off is just one part of Leith’s wider professional life. She continues to support a number of charities through patronage and ambassadorships, including the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Sustain, and Dignity in Dying.
More recently, Leith was involved in the launch of Life-Changing Bakery, a collaboration with Oxfordshire charity Yellow Submarine, which trains adults with learning disabilities in catering skills and supports them into employment.
Speculation and confirmation
Rumours that Nigella was to take on the role were already swirling last week, after The Sun reported that contract discussions were in the final stages, according to an unnamed source.
While no announcement had been made at the time, Lawson had long been a favourite to join Paul Hollywood in the tent. Known for her food-related innuendos, calming manner, and descriptive language, she’s expected to boost Bake Off ratings and fit in well with the already cheeky atmosphere on the show.
About Nigella Lawson
Lawson is one of the UK’s most recognisable cookbook authors and television cooks, with a career spanning more than three decades. She first rose to prominence as a food journalist before publishing her debut cookbook, How to Eat, in 1998.
She has since authored numerous best-selling cookbooks and fronted a wide range of television series in the UK and internationally. While Lawson is best known for her home-focused approach to cooking, she has also appeared as a judge on several food and cooking competitions, most recently MasterChef Australia and Kitchen HQ.
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