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Nigella Lawson Debuts as Bake Off Judge, Boosting Ratings

By Drooid · Sep 26, 2026, 3:01 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Nigella Lawson Joins

Nigella Lawson, 66, joined Paul Hollywood as a new judge on The Great British Bake Off, replacing Prue Leith.
The debut featured a Doctor Who-themed skit where Leith ‘regenerated’ into Lawson via a TARDIS.
The Telegraph and The Guardian gave five-star reviews, saying Lawson revitalised the show.
Fans on X praised Lawson as a ‘breath of air’ despite her difficulty getting a fork to her mouth.

Summary

Channel 4 Broadcasts

Channel 4 will broadcast the next Biscuit Week episode on Tuesday 29 September at 8 pm.
The episode attracted 3.4 million overnight viewers, making it one of Channel 4’s highest-rated shows this season.
Judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson will assess the bakers’ biscuit sculptures, flavored biscuits and layered biscuit desserts.
Industry analysts expect total ratings to exceed 5 million once catch-up viewing is added.

History

Historical Context

The Great British Bake Off debuted on 17 August 2010 on BBC Two, drawing just over 2 million viewers and igniting a nationwide baking revival. Its popularity drove moves to BBC One in 2014 and to Channel 4 in 2016, where judge Prue Leith served until her 2026 departure. The 2024 Channel 4 Biscuit Week, featuring Paul Hollywood and newcomer Nigella Lawson, continues the show’s legacy of high-rating cooking contests.

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Nigella Lawson Joins

Nigella Lawson, 66, joined Paul Hollywood as a new judge on The Great British Bake Off, replacing Prue Leith.
The debut featured a Doctor Who-themed skit where Leith ‘regenerated’ into Lawson via a TARDIS.
The Telegraph and The Guardian gave five-star reviews, saying Lawson revitalised the show.
Fans on X praised Lawson as a ‘breath of air’ despite her difficulty getting a fork to her mouth.

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