Nigella Lawson to replace Prue Leith on The Great British Bake Off

TV chef Nigella Lawson will replace Dame Prue Leith on The Great British Bake Off, broadcaster Channel 4 has confirmed.

Dame Prue has been a judge on the series since 2017, but announced last week that she would leave the programme adding: "Now feels like the right time to step back".

Lawson, who will join Paul Hollywood as a judge, said in a statement: "I'm uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now.

"Of course it's daunting to be following in the footsteps of Prue Leith and Mary Berry before her, great dames both, but I'm also bubbling with excitement."

She added: "The Great British Bake Off is more than a television programme, it's a National Treasure – and it's a huge honour to be entrusted with it.

"I'm just thrilled to be joining the team and all the new bakers to come, I wish the marvellous Prue all the best, and am giddily grateful for the opportunity!"

Dame Prue said she was "thrilled" that Nigella would be taking over her role in the tent.

"She's sassy, fun and she knows her onions - and her croissants, cake and crumble," she added.

Channel 4 controller Ian Katz said the broadcaster was "incredibly excited about the marriage of two great British icons: Bake Off and Nigella".

Dame Prue was hired for Bake Off after the series jumped from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2016.

She replaced Dame Mary, who left the show along with presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins after the move.

The series will return for its 17th series later this year, with Lawson and Hollywood alongside current hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.

The Guardian's Stuart Heritage wrote, external last week that The Great British Bake Off has "lost its way" and "become slightly long in the tooth over the last half decade or so".

He said Lawson would give the show a shot in the arm, writing: "She is spectacularly British, and manages to balance the sort of familiarity that will reassure existing viewers with a level of international first-name recognition that might even end up growing the audience."