Nigella Lawson admits there's "a long list" of reasons why she shouldn't be a Bake Off judge

New Great British Bake Off host Nigella Lawson has been a hit with fans, though she has recently revealed there's "a long list" of reasons why she was hesitant to do the show.

Appearing alongside co-judge Paul Hollywood on today's The One Show, Nigella opened up about having doubts about taking on the role of judge on the baking contest as she is not "a technical baker".

She said there was "a long list of why I shouldn't do it", adding that she didn't want producers to feel "like they'd come to the wrong shop".

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"I had to make it clear I'm not a technical baker, I'm a home baker… I didn't want them to feel like they'd come to the wrong shop. I wanted to say what I thought I could do and what I couldn't do," she said.

Nigella also added that there would be "no hard feelings" on her part if after the initial meeting they weren't aligned.

Luckily, this wasn't the case and the TV chef has gone down a storm with viewers, with her and Hollywood judging the bakers' offerings this season.

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Commenting on her co-judge Paul, Nigella said: "Paul is a genius… he just looks at a cake, and he says, 'That needed to be another five degrees hotter and three minutes hotter'."

As for Paul, the judge told One Show host Roman Kemp and Alex Jones about getting "the giggles" while filming.

"Occasionally, Nigella, Alison [Hammond] or Noel [Fielding] or one of the bakers will say something and then we get the giggles... before floor manager Mandy tells us to get out."

The Great British Bake Off airs and streams on Channel 4.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).