Dame Prue Leith has shared what Paul Hollywood really thinks of his new Great British Bake Off co-judge Nigella Lawson, who replaced her on the Channel 4 show after she stepped back in January
Kathryn Ingate Deputy Editor of Trendswatch
12:16, 29 Mar 2026
Alison Hammond, Noel Fielding, Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood(Image: Channel 4 / Love Productions)
Paul Hollywood, 60, and Dame Prue Leith, 86, judged The Great British Bake Off together for nearly a decade, but the renowned baker is now set to partner with a new face on the Channel 4 programme.
Prue, who announced her decision to “step back” from the show in January this year, appeared on Times Radio this weekend and was questioned by host Jane Mulkerrins about what viewers should expect from her successor, Nigella Lawson, 66, and Paul.
Revealing insight into Paul’s priorities for her replacement, the restaurateur and chef insisted that the star would always have greater “respect” for candidates who were experts in baking, rather than their level of fame.
As a result, Prue believes that “terrific baker” Nigella is the ideal choice. She shared: “I think they’ll get along absolutely fine.
“What Paul respects is if you know your stuff, if they had hired somebody who was there just because they were famous…
“He would rather have a good baker nobody had ever heard of who understands what’s wrong with the cake, or why it’s as it is, and of course, Nigella is a terrific baker and has been for many years.”
Nigella Lawson has joined Bake Off
“She’s also really good at her job, I mean anyone who has seen her on TV knows how confident and witty… and she’s really clever, Nigella.
“People often think that she’s just… well they don’t say it, but if you say ‘Nigella Lawson’, people mostly think how beautiful she is, but she’s got a brain on her, she’s terrific. They’ll be absolutely fine.”
Jane concurred and disclosed that after viewing a preview clip of Nigella and Paul on the show for the first time, it’s evident that they “have great chemistry”.
The presenter informed Prue: “I had a sneak peek of what they’re going to be like together, I was at a Channel 4 preview Prue, and I have to say, they have great chemistry. So I’m looking forward to it very much.
“They will be terrific, they will be wonderful,” Prue expressed enthusiastically in response.
Paul is currently on our screens judging The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer alongside pastry chef and Bake Off: The Professionals judge Cherish Finden.
Prue and Paul judged Bake Off together for over a decade(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I)
TV chef Nigella will make her debut on the 17th series of The Great British Bake Off, which is scheduled to broadcast later this year.
Prue previously clarified that she had decided to step down from her Bake Off role due to her age and a desire to concentrate on other interests, including gardening.
In a recent appearance on The Shift podcast, the star admitted a fear of losing her balance on the Channel 4 set, after being asked to film in a field and having to inform producers she wasn’t up for it.
She recollected: “We weren’t judging cake – they wanted us to dance round this field. And it was a very hummocky, uneven, field, which of course Noel could really leap over brilliantly and Paul perfectly good.”
She continued: “But I suddenly realised ‘I’m going to go A over T, you know, this is going to be humiliating beyond belief’. So I said ‘I don’t want to do it’, and they understood – they were fine.”
