Fans reveal what they're most excited about as Nigella Lawson joins Bake Off

Bake Off fans are ecstatic about the forthcoming series of Bake Off - because none other than Nigella Lawson is making her debut as a judge on the show.On Tuesday 18 August, the cookbook author and TV presenter shared a teaser from inside the iconic Bake Off tent on her social media.In the teaser, Lawson is wearing a royal purple jumpsuit as she saunters up to the camera with a spoon, as though about to take a bite, and says: “Ooh, luscious.”Nigella Lawson, TV presenter.BBC/Charles BirchmoreShe wrote in the caption: “I’m a bit nervous, very excited and extremely happy: Bake Off is back on our screens next month!“I’ve loved every minute. It’s a real honour to be part of something so special. Thank you Paul Hollywood, Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding for making me feel so instantly part of the family.“You three plus cake: Talk about the dream job!”Hundreds of people have commented on the post, including fans, former Bake Off contestants and other food industry figures - with many excited about Lawson’s infamous knack for innuendoes and poking fun at the pronunciation of certain words.Former competitor Dr Rahul Mandal, who won Bake Off 2018 and was also crowned the winner of the 2021 New Year Bake Off special series, commented: “Innuendoes will reach sky high to another level. Hope Alison, Paul and Noel behave.”Another fan is also looking forward to Lawson’s subtle yet suggestive remarks when it comes to food, writing: “Ooh I can’t wait! Looking forward to lots of smutty innuendoes. It’s going to be great fun this year.”Read MoreA third joked: “I presume the new time slot will be after the watershed.”Others are hopeful Lawson will bring back her rather iconic pronunciation of the word “microwave”, which made her go viral in 2020.The celebrity cook jokingly pronounced “microwave” as “mee-cro-wah-vay” during her BBC show, Cook, Eat, Repeat at the time.Now, fans are hopeful it will make a comeback, with one person wriitng: “Get that microwavaaaahhheeeeee ready.”George Aristidou, who competed on the show in 2021, added: “[There] just has to be a technical challenge involving a MEECRO-WAH-VAY!”There is also hope that Lawson can revive the audience for Bake Off, as viewing figures for the show have struggled since the show moved to Channel 4 in 2017.The numbers declined every year since 2020, until series 16 in 2025 showed signs of improvement as figures rose to a total of 7.26 million viewers for the first episode - but critics said the show had become stale and “insipid”.Many fans said they would now tune into the competition now that Lawson has joined the fray. She replaces Leith, who is 86 and has been a judge since 2017, when she took over from Mary Berry - who was 81 when she left the show.This makes Lawson the youngest female judge in the show’s history.One fan said: “I haven’t watched this for years. I will now”, while another wrote: “Oooh fabulous. I’ll be tuning back in.”A third commented: “Thanks for reinvigorating a format that over the past few years had definitely become more than a bit stale. I’ll tune in for the first time in around five years.”Speaking on ITV’s This Morning in January about joining Bake Off, Lawson said: “I am excited, but I take it very seriously.“The thing about Bake Off is that it’s about the programme – which is an institution of national treasure status – and it’s about the bakers, and I just want to be there and be a part of it.”Channel 4 said fans of the show “can expect to see Nigella bringing her trademark warmth, wit and passion for flavour to the tent”.