This article discusses calorie counting, disordered eating, and diet culture.
Season 17 of The Great British Baking Show is well underway, and one particular moment from last week’s episode is picking up steam online.
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While discussing contestant Molly Chauhan’s chocolate-and-hazelnut cookie recipe, judge Nigella Lawson hit back at Paul Hollywood for suggesting that “a cookie should be quite indulgent and naughty.”
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“I don’t approve of talking about food as naughty,” she said. “We need to take our pleasures where we can in life.”
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Paul agreed, “Very true.”
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And the smile on Molly's face said it all:
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The simple yet effective moment has won widespread praise online, with several people applauding Nigella — who grew up privy to her late mother’s “difficult relationship” with food — for helping to dismantle diet culture.
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“In a world of #SkinnyTok and a return to problematic restrictive eating patterns yet again, let there be more @nigellalawson in this world,” one popular Instagram post read. “Little moments like this are so important,” someone commented.
“Thank you for posting this clip cause as an anorexia survivor I have been telling EVERYONE how much this moment meant to me,” another person wrote. “No food is naughty. Sure, some food is more nutritional whereas others are more calorie dense, but it’s all just FOOD. Food is delicious and we should all have a varied and colourful diet that makes us feel good,” one user added.
“Genuinely cheered at the TV when she said this,” someone said, while another comment read, “It was so refreshing to see this narrative be challenged.”
Meanwhile, other viewers said that Nigella’s comments were all the more praiseworthy given ex-Bake Off judge Prue Leith’s constantreferral to calories on the show. “Such a nice change of perspective after watching Prue’s seasons, honestly,” someone wrote, while another user echoed, “Yes Nigella! A far cry from the comments Prue often made about calories, etc 🙄 I might start watching Bake Off again!”