For a man famous for his ego, sharing the Great British Bake Off tent with the very glamorous Nigella Lawson, a national treasure, was never going to be smooth sailing.
Paul Hollywood’s previous sidekicks, Mary Berry and Prue Leith, were both amazing, iconic women – but neither took the spotlight away from the show’s longest-serving judge.
But in the run-up to the 17th series, which launches on Channel 4 on September 22, Paul and Nigella have been hit by rumors that they haven’t really been doing well in recent months while working on the much-loved show.
Nigella, daughter of the late Tory chancellor Nigel Lawson, is said to find Paul’s habit of using his helicopter to get from the village of Kent where he lives to the famous tent in Welford Park, Berkshire, rather clumsy and silly.
But any disagreements between them during filming are said to have stayed out of the public eye over the summer when they pre-recorded the show with twelve new contestants.
However, last night Paul and Nigella were seen together for the first time as Channel 4 launched the new series at the headquarters of the Honorable Artillery Company, the oldest regiment in the British Army, in the City of London.
Ahead of the 17th series, which launches on Channel 4 on September 22, Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson have been hit with rumors that they haven’t exactly gelled.
Last night Paul and Nigella were seen together for the first time as Channel 4 launched the new series (Paul and Nigella pictured with presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding)
During a question and answer session, the two – along with fellow presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding – presented a united front.
They posed together on the fake green grass ‘red carpet’ although I noticed they were not standing next to each other.
“Nigella fit in beautifully,” Paul said during the Q&A. While the How To Eat author said they were ‘all talking non-stop’ and insisted that ‘the four of us got along really well’.
There was even talk of Noel and Paul going to Nigella’s house, although there was no mention of whether that was by helicopter.
Since then, Paul and Nigella have tried to give the impression that they are best friends by regularly liking and commenting on each other’s Instagram posts.
But judging by the edited version of the first episode, which we saw last night, they will struggle to prove to fans that there is real chemistry between them.
It is left to Alison, and not Paul, to introduce new judge Nigella to viewers as “the legendary; the iconic Nigella Lawson’.
Dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit with not a wrinkle in sight, Nigella, 66, looks radiant but Paul, 60, looks rather stiff as he is teased by Alison and Noel.
Even with their jokes about his ego, he can’t manage to smile. And it’s unlikely his mood would have improved if he’d seen how much airtime is devoted to “our queen,” as Alison calls her.
The first episode couldn’t have been more focused on Nigella. The bakers are tasked with creating a dense chocolate cake, which feels like a direct nod to Nigella’s famous Guinness cake.
It’s clear that Channel 4 are keen to make the most of their new big-money acquisition.
Those involved in the show have been trying for weeks to play down the idea that Nigella and Paul are at odds, promising that if I saw them together I would see for myself.
But last night Paul seemed rather miffed by the excitement of Nigella Lawson being by his side.
Before they arrived, the broadcaster’s Editor-in-Chief Vivienne Molokwu spoke of her delight at signing Nigella.
She described the food writer as the show’s “extra magic ingredient” – a comment likely to irritate Paul.
“I think you’ll agree that she is a great addition to the team and brings a unique sound and perspective that you didn’t know you needed,” Vivienne said.
It’s been six years since her last major TV series – Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat – was produced for the BBC, and she’s barely been on our screens since.
Instead, the mother-of-two made shows for Australian television, including My Kitchen Rules, and as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia.
During a question and answer session, the two put on a united front as Paul said: ‘Nigella fit in beautifully’, while the Nigella said they ‘all talked non-stop’ and insisted that ‘the four of us got along really well’.
It’s been six years since her last major TV series – Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat – was produced for the BBC, and she’s barely been on our screens since.
The cast of Bake Off 2026 was announced on Monday
Nigella, who was married to her second husband Charles Saatchi until he was caught on camera with a hand around her neck outside Scott’s restaurant in Mayfair in 2013, was announced as Prue’s successor in January.
It followed the popular cookery writer’s decision to step down as a Bake Off judge after nine years.
Channel 4 and the show’s highly rated creators Love Productions are hoping Nigella will boost ratings.
She is also said to have got on ‘greatly well’ with this year’s bakers, who were also unveiled to the public last night.
They include a 32-year-old self-styled ‘drag king’ who lives with two partners in the West Midlands, and a 67-year-old retired clothing technologist.
Nigella, whose first husband was journalist John Diamond, who died of cancer in 2001 aged 47, has published twelve cookbooks and presented almost a dozen television programs throughout her career, including her own – albeit short-lived – chat show for ITV in 2005.
In 1998, she published How To Eat, her first cookbook, which sold 300,000 copies and made her a bestselling author.
Just two years later she released How To Be A Domestic Goddess, which won the British Book Award for Author of the Year. She started in journalism after joining the Sunday Times as deputy literary editor after graduating from Oxford University.
With such a string of accolades, Paul might be forgiven for feeling like she stole some of his thunder.
