Nigella Lawson has revealed her excitement about her newest TV project as she joins the cast of a hit UK TV series.
The popular cooking personality has been named the newest judge of reality TV contest The Great British Bake Off, following the departure of Dame Prue Leith after nine seasons.
“I’m uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now,” Lawson, 66, said in a statement and corresponding social media post.
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“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.
“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!”
Leith said she was “thrilled” Lawson would take over her role as a judge.
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“She’s sassy, fun and she knows her onions — and her croissants, cake and crumble,” Leith said in the statement.
Fans will be hoping the popular presenter introduces the world to new pronunciations of words, like her famous interpretation of microwave as meecro-wah-vay.
Lawson, who is beloved Down Under and has been a guest judge in many Australian reality TV cooking shows, is something of a national treasure in the UK.
She is known to many simply as “Nigella” and credited with bringing new audiences to the world of cooking shows thanks to her flirtatious manner.
Born in London, she is the daughter of former chancellor of the exchequer — the UK equivalent of a finance minister — Nigel Lawson.
After studying at Oxford University, she began her career in publishing before moving into media, writing restaurant columns.
Lawson went on to contribute to various UK newspapers before writing books.
In 1998, she brought out How to Eat, in which she described how food was one of her earliest loves.
Lawson went on to release a string of other successful cookbooks as well as to host numerous cooking shows, such as Nigella Bites.
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She was also a judge on American cooking reality TV contest The Taste.
Lawson will join fellow judge Paul Hollywood and presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding on screen in the new Bake Off series towards the end of the year.
– Reported with CNN.
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