Nigella Lawson has slammed the treatment of aspiring cooks on ‘mean’ programmes, labelling them ‘a theatre of cruelty and humiliation.’
The television chef shut down the possibility of ever appearing in a cooking show that doesn’t prioritise respect among its contestants and crew.
Speaking to Australian Woman’s Weekly about explosive culinary series, the 62-year-old said: ‘I don’t like that at all. I think it’s counterproductive.
‘It makes people at home feel inhibited about cooking too, because they have this persecutory voice in their heads. I couldn’t be part of a programme like that.
‘It doesn’t mean to say you’re not honest, but there’s never a need to be mean.’
Hit series such as Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares have gained a reputation for featuring explosive insults – and lots of shouting.
Some of his insults on his shows include asking a chef if they were ‘stupid’ and telling one, ‘you’re so in denial you need therapy.’
Gordon even parodied himself with James Corden in a skit on The Late Late show where he slapped two pieces of bread around talkshow host Julie Chen’s head and called her an ‘idiot sandwich.’
While Nigella might not be screaming the F-bomb in a fit of rage any time soon on national television, there is another starry job that would take her fancy.
If the UK does indeed host Eurovision in 2023, Nigella teased she would love to present the iconic singing competition.
On Twitter, Nigella wrote: ‘Waiting for my Katie Boyle moment! Why else get a languages degree?’
Katie was a TV star and actress who presented the Eurovision Song Contest on four occasions, in 1960, 1963, 1968 and 1974.
Fans quickly backed Nigella on the social media site, pleading with broadcasters to make it happen.
One wrote on Twitter: ‘Oh yes, you would be absolutely perfect.’
Eurovision dreams aside, Nigella has been spending a lot of time Down Under, having been revealed as a new judge on Aussie show My Kitchen Rules in April.
She’s also appeared multiple times on MasterChef Australia, with the series of Oz gigs making her friends joke about her becoming a ‘regular Aussie commuter.’
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