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Nigella has taken implicit from Prue Leith arsenic a justice connected Bake Off alongside Paul Hollywood
BySteven McIntosh
Entertainment newsman
TV critics person described Nigella Lawson arsenic the "icing connected the cake" of The Great British Bake Off, aft the amusement returned for a caller bid connected Tuesday.
Lawson has replaced Dame Prue Leith, who announced she was leaving earlier this twelvemonth aft astir a decennary successful the programme's celebrated tent.
The Telegraph said Lawson gives the Channel 4 bid a "new lease of life", portion Digital Spy agreed she was a "brilliant addition" to the line-up.
But the Independent was cooler connected the motorboat occurrence arsenic a whole, saying the amusement "wastes Nigella's prodigious charms and misses accidental for a existent revamp".
The instrumentality of Bake Off saw Lawson articulation chap justice Paul Hollywood, who has appeared connected the programme since its motorboat successful 2010, and presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.
Former Bake Off victor Giuseppe Dell'Anno told BBC Radio 4's Today that Lawson "did nutrient a measurement change" to the amusement and was a "nice acceptable with the ethos of the programme".
"She was doing her champion by capturing the vibes of a cake, the feelings, what it makes you deliberation of, which was precise nicely balanced by Paul being precise method and scrutinising," helium said.
"I think, however, that she volition get amended implicit time, due to the fact that my gut feeling yesterday was that she was inactive successful caller territory."
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Some critics noted Lawson did not present arsenic overmuch innuendo arsenic expected during her archetypal episode
In a five-star review, the Guardian's Lucy Mangan, external said Lawson "moves done Bake Off dispensing words of wisdom, generous praise and gentle criticism".
She added that Lawson is "just arsenic assured arsenic Leith but a overmuch quieter, much soothing beingness that works perfectly with Alison Hammond's ebullience and Paul Hollywood's teacher-ish vibe".
The Telegraph's Anita Singh, external besides awarded 5 stars, remarking that "Bake Off and Nigella are a lucifer made successful heaven".
"She brings glamour, quality and poise. And, of course, a hefty dollop of innuendo," Singh said.
"Lawson is supportive successful her judging but not acrophobic to archer the bakers wherever they tin improve. She gives adjuvant advice."
The motorboat occurrence was described arsenic "one of the astir disastrous openers ever" by Metro's Adam Miller, external - but luckily helium was lone referring to the cakes.
"When Bake Off should beryllium crumbling aft 17 seasons, Nigella Lawson is making Channel 4's crown jewel fresher than ever," helium said.
"It's wide to spot she is the lifeline Bake Off needed to guarantee it could easy person different decennary oregon much successful it yet."
However, different critics said Channel 4 had missed an accidental to revitalise the programme.
Awarding 2 stars, the Independent's Nick Hilton, external said Lawson rapidly "feels portion of the fabric," adding: "But this is besides the problem. The Bake Off format is precise tired."
He wrote: "The cakes wobble, the decorations melt, the bakers over-salt the batter, and everything remains the same.
"Nigella's accomplishment mightiness person been an accidental for a harder refresh. But alternatively of bending the format to suit Nigella, the caller justice bends to the volition of the programme."
Hilton acknowledged that producers "might person done brilliantly to snag Nigella, and it volition undoubtedly pb to an uptick successful viewers".
"But they've applied her prodigious charms excessively thinly, and adjacent she – with her penchant for each things 'sumptuous' – can't halt the feeling that the amusement has gone much than a small stale."
Several critics noted that Lawson did not present arsenic overmuch innuendo arsenic expected during her debut successful the tent.
"Add Nigella – celebrated for her on-screen coquettish eyelash-fluttering and cheeky connection choices – into the mix, and you'd ideate the sauciness gets dialled up to 11," said the Radio Times's Jane Rackham, external.
"Instead, she's chopped backmost connected the sauce. She makes well-informed and adjuvant comments astir the amateur bakers' efforts."
Digital Spy's Janet A Leigh agreed, external, noting: "As is the quality of Bake Off, determination were galore opportunities for Nigella to prosecute with the playful, flirtatious quality that has underpinned the amusement since its inception. Yet each accidental was mildly rebuffed."
Instead, she said, Lawson "has a mode of talking astir nutrient that celebrates it and expands the audience's knowing of flavours without seeming pretentious.
"If occurrence 1 is conscionable a flavour of what to expect from Nigella, past it is hugely encouraging. She cares deeply, steers wisely, and slots effortlessly into the close-knit team."
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When Lawson was faced with innuendo-laden comments from contestants oregon co-stars, she often "wisely said nothing", noted the Daily Mail's Jan Moir., external
"Ultimately this was a tremendous debut show from the caller mistress of meringue, showing a broadside of Nigella we person not seen before: quirky, commanding, comic – but besides humane," she concluded.
Ben Dowell of the Times observed, external: "Bake Off has ever been 1 of TV's much beguiling offerings with a comforting romance astir it.
"It's not perfect. Hammond is ebullience and warmth personified but her co-presenter, the erstwhile Mighty Boosh comedian Fielding, inactive looks a spot lost, arsenic if helium has wandered successful from the incorrect set.
"But with Nigella the amusement is decidedly successful harmless hands. Bake Off has recovered a caller star."
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