‘Great British Baking Show’ Hosts & Contestants React to Nigella Lawson Replacing Prue Leith
What To Know
- Nigella Lawson has been announced as the new co-judge of The Great British Baking Show, replacing Prue Leith after her nine-year tenure.
- Lawson expressed excitement and gratitude for joining the show, while Leith and fellow judge Paul Hollywood warmly welcomed her to the team.
- Other familiar faces from the show’s history, including cohosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, also weighed in on Lawson’s casting via social media.
The past and present stars of The Great British Baking Show (a.k.a. The Great British Bake Off) are weighing in on the show’s brand-new judge.
The U.K. baking competition series confirmed on Monday, January 26, that Nigella Lawson will be taking over Prue Leith‘s role as Paul Hollywood‘s co-judge on the show. The news comes less than a week after Leith announced she was stepping down from the series after nine years.
“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,” Lawson said in a statement shared via the show’s official Instagram page. “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!”
In a comment underneath the post, Lawson added, “Thank you, thank you, thank you — I can’t wait to enter the Tent of Dreams!” Leith also hopped in the post’s comments, writing, “I was so hoping it would be Nigella! Brilliant choice 🙌.”
As for Hollywood? He commented, “Huge congrats, you’re going to love the tent!”
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Underneath the post, more familiar faces from the show’s history shared their congratulations for Lawson, including longtime cohost Noel Fielding. “So Excited !!! Welcome to the Mischief Palace x x 🖤 We will all have a blast. X,” he wrote. Fielding’s cohost, Alison Hammond, wrote in her own comment, “Welcome to the family Queen 👑.”
Season 9 winner Rahul Mandal commented, “Wow, please let me comeback again.” Season 5 champion, Nancy Birtwhistle, wrote, “Huge congratulations Nigella – you’ll be amazing 👏👏😘.”
Season 9 Manon Lagrève called Lawson’s casting “iconic” in the comments, adding, “When I grow up I want to be @nigellalawson ❤️.” Season 16 alum Iain Ross couldn’t contain his excitement, as he wrote, “NO WAY.”
The Great British Baking Show: The Professionals judge Cherish Finden congratulated Lawson by writing, “Huge congratulations @nigellalawson welcome to the family @britishbakeoff.” Former Season 7 contestant Andrew Smyth shared in his own comment, “Ok this is major 🔥.”
Season 13 runner-up Sandro Farmhouse added, “Caaaaannnotttt WAITTTT ❤️😍,” while Season 14’s Tasha Stones joked, “Has the deadline for series 17 applications passed? asking for a friend xoxo.”
Season 12 winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno wrote that Lawson “has big shoes to fill: matching @prueleith’s level of innuendos won’t be easy! 😆.” He added, “But if anybody in the world can, our domestic goddess is the person! ❤️.”
Courtesy of Netflix
In a statement about her exit shared last week, Leith said starring on the show has been “a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years.” She continued, “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. 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.”
She ended her statement with a message for her successor, writing, “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 Baking Show, Streaming Now, Netflix
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