In a surprising development, Nigella Lawson appears set to join the judging panel of The Great British Bake Off. This follows the announcement that Prue Leith will be stepping down from her role. Insiders have disclosed that negotiations with the renowned 66-year-old culinary icon are nearly finalized, with Nigella preparing to take over from Prue.

The possibility of Nigella succeeding Prue has been on the table since 2024 when Prue, now 85, reduced her commitments by opting out of the celebrity edition of the show. Nigella is expected to join forces with the long-standing judge, Paul Hollywood, when filming for the upcoming season kicks off in April.

A source close to the situation commented, “Nigella is a global name. Her playful banter, sprinkled with cheeky innuendos, perfectly aligns with the spirit of Bake Off. While Prue has been fantastic, Nigella is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.”

The source continued, “The contract negotiations are almost complete, and if all goes well, Nigella will soon be adding her flair to the iconic Bake Off tent.”

Nigella’s recent TV appearances and specials

Nigella’s most recent appearance in a UK television series was in 2020 with “Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat” on BBC Two. Since then, she has made her mark as a judge on MasterChef Australia and has hosted a few festive specials.

Prue replaced Mary Berry in 2017 and has judged more than 400 challenges over nine series of the show, which is hosted by Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding. During her stint, she admitted she gave up breakfast and lunch to stay in shape and tried fat jabs, but hated the side-effects.

In 2017, Prue accidentally revealed the winner before the finale aired after miscalculating the time difference while tweeting from a holiday in the Himalayas, leaving her “mortified” by the blunder.

Bake Off’s tribute to Prue

Makers Love Productions said: “From her genuine expertise and encouragement of the bakers to her ability to drop innocent innuendos, Prue will always have a piece of Bake Off’s heart.”

A Bake Off spokesman said: “The new judge will be announced in due course.”

Yesterday, Prue said: “Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life. I feel very lucky to have been part of it. I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love ­Productions and Channel 4. Now feels like the right time to step back.”

Despite Prue’s decision, Channel 4’s Ian Katz hinted at a return, saying he was “looking forward to working with her on new projects.” He said: “She leaves an indelible mark on the show.”