Naughty but slice

Hollywood & Nigella Lawson blending well

- BY NICOLA METHVEN

Why is Bake Off so special to viewers? N: It appeals to people in a deeply emotional way, it's not just entertainment. For many, especially more recently, there's a sort of breakdown of a sense of community and connection.

It's a competition but it seems to be a lot about creative collaboration and the bakers' support of each other. There isn't that terrible bullying that goes on in certain competitive programmes. Bake Off viewers feel cosy and safe and part of something - which they are.

You've said you are not into perfection when baking, have you received tips on being a Bake Off judge? N: I'm daunted. I'm a ramshackle type of baker.

I'm going to be thinking, why am I judging them, I couldn't do this? P: Wait till you see the quality of the bakingthese are amateur bakers.

And you go, "what?" Enjoy the cake but remember, you've got 12 to try...

N: I'm a great believer in elasticated trousers.

P: I'll think about pregnancy pants, I think.

You don't sweat the small stuff when cooking, but isn't it about precision? N: When I wrote my baking book, about 150 years ago, I described baking as a mixture between poetry and chemistry.

You can't have all chemistry, you can't have all poetry. You cannot lose precision, but you have to let your imagination perch somewhere.