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22nd January 2026
09:41am GMT
Prue Leith stepping down as a judge has paved the way for culinary icon Nigella Lawson, who is set to join The Great British Bake Off.
According to sources from The Sun, she was ready to sign on the dotted line as popular Prue’s replacement, as contract talks were coming to a close.
“Nigella’s recognised worldwide. She’s got the cheeky banter down to a tee, with all her work laden with the fun innuendos and naughty patter that are synonymous with Bake Off”, a source said.
“Prue has been wonderful but Nigella will be a sure-fire hit. Contract discussions are in the final stages and, all being well, Nigella will be heating up the famous tent soon”, the source added.
Nigella, 66, has been talked of as her successor since 2024 when Prue, now 85, cut her workload by ducking the celebrity series.
The filming for the new series starts in April and she will line up alongside long-standing judge Paul Hollywood.
Nigella’s last appearance in a UK TV series was in in 2020, in Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat on BBC Two.
She has been a judge on MasterChef Australia and delivered a few Christmas specials, since that time.
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