Tejal Somvanshi
Bake Off fans have been waiting to see how the tent feels without Prue Leith. Tonight they find out. Nigella Lawson makes her debut as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, alongside Paul Hollywood, as the 2026 series opens on Channel 4.
The new series of The Great British Bake Off starts on Tuesday, September 22, at 8 p.m. on Channel 4. Twelve new amateur bakers are competing. Channel 4 confirms Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson as judges. Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding return as presenters.
Lawson replaces Dame Prue Leith. Leith announced in January that she was stepping away after nine years. She said that at 86 she wanted to slow down and enjoy more time away from the show.
For viewers, the main change is at the judging table. Hollywood, known for his handshake and his focus on technique, now has a new partner. Lawson built her name on relaxed, pleasure-first home cooking. How the two balance each other will shape the feedback bakers get each week, and who goes home. Early reviews of the first episode have focused on the chemistry between them.
The format hasn’t changed: signature, technical and showstopper challenges each week, with one baker named Star Baker and one sent home. Hammond and Fielding carry on hosting, so the tent should feel familiar beyond the new face on the bench.
Lawson is one of the UK’s best-known food writers and TV cooks. Her books and series have a following in the US and Australia too. Bake Off itself airs in the US under the name The Great British Baking Show. Overseas release dates for this series haven’t been confirmed yet.
Channel 4’s press materials introduce the bakers but don’t include comments from Lawson or Hollywood on the new partnership.
For more TV and food stories, visit our entertainment and food pages.
Nigella Lawson joins Paul Hollywood on the Bake Off judging panel, replacing Prue Leith. The 2026 series starts tonight at 8 p.m. on Channel 4 with 12 new bakers. Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding return as hosts. New episodes air weekly. Check back each week for the latest from the tent.
