Nigella Lawson will replace Dame Prue Leith on The Great British Bake Off, Channel 4 has confirmed.
On Monday (26 January), the broadcaster revealed that the celebrity chef will succeed Leith on the popular baking competition for its next series, with Lawson saying she is “uncharacteristically rather lost for words” by her appointment.
Lawson said that “it’s daunting to be following in the footsteps” of both Leith and Dame Mary Berry, the latter of whom was involved with the show during its time on the BBC. However, she added, “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,” she said in a statement.
“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!”
Lawson, who published her first cookery book, How to Eat, in 1998, and has presented numerous BBC specials since Nigella Bites aired in 1999, is now expected to bring her signature cooking innuendos into the Bake Off tent.
This marks Lawson’s most high-profile gig in the UK in years, having focused on her TV career in Australia, where she’s been a regular guest on MasterChef and My Kitchen Rules.
Leith announced her decision to quit the show earlier this month, stating it “feels like the right time to step back”.
In a statement released on Wednesday (21 January), Leith said: “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 [Hollywood], 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.”
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“Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have,” she added. “I feel very lucky to have been part of it.”
Leith joined the programme after it moved from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2017, and faced the daunting task of replacing Paul Hollywood’s original judging partner, Dame Mary.
Fortunately, the judge soon found her groove in the famous Bake Off tent, winning over fans and critics with her kind-hearted critiques and statement looks. There was one blip, though: in her first year on the show, Leith hit headlines after accidentally revealing the winner hours before the finale aired.
Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding are the current Bake Off presenters, but Leith has also worked with Sandi Toksvig and Matt Lucas.
In 2024, Leith revealed that she previously tried to quit the show after becoming fed up with “hardly seeing” her family and “never” having a summer holiday due to filming demands. The judge agreed to stay after the show’s production company changed the schedule so she could have more time off.
Channel 4 chief content officer Ian Katz said: “Prue Leith has been a joyous presence in the tent, pairing absolute culinary authority with great generosity and empathy for the bakers.
“We are grateful for her passion, her wit, her ineffable style, and all the summers she spent in the tent. She leaves an indelible mark on the show and all its bakers.
“We will miss her wry, gentle judgment but look forward to working with her on new projects.”
