Celebrity cook Nigella Lawson's real age shocks fans

Even though she's been on the culinary circuit for decades, people have been surprised to learn Nigella Lawson's real age. Photo / Getty Images

Nigella Lawson is delighting Australian viewers with her My Kitchen Rules debut.

The British home cooking queen, who has replaced controversial chef Pete Evans on the 2022 season of Channel 7 reality series, has managed to reinvigorate the struggling franchise with her on-screen charisma and star power.

And even though she's been on the culinary circuit for decades, people have been surprised to learn of the food writer's real age.

Lawson, who published her first cookbook in 1998 before breaking onto TV with her own show Nigella Bites the following year, turned 62 in January. Yes, you read that right.

Can someone explain to me how Nigella Lawson can look so stunning ALL THE TIME?
she 62yo and looks 42
What kind of witchcraft is she performing!#MKR

— VišnjaCreates (@VisnjaCreates) August 8, 2022

Nigella Lawson is 62???? As a white woman she looks very decent, even her hands don’t show her age wow

— Hi, its me. (@JeffChangx) August 2, 2022

If I don't age like Nigella Lawson, I don't wanna get old at all

— Wajeeha. (@DesiOtaku_) April 13, 2022

Nigella Lawson is 62. I refuse to accept this. pic.twitter.com/uJ5t88fhrO

— Zoë Paramour (@ZoeParamour) March 14, 2022

Lawson, who has two children with her first husband, late journalist John Diamond, recently credited her youthful looks to avoiding sun exposure and eating "lots of fats".

She also previously told Oprah.com she was "trying to go with" ageing.

"I think what ages a face most is disappointment and a lack of enjoyment. So I try to do what I love," she said.

The 12th season of Australia's Channel 7 cooking show follows a two-year hiatus for MKR, which suffered declining ratings in 2019 and 2020.

Presumably, in a bid to compete with its rival prime-time show, Channel 9's Married At First Sight, the series was copping criticism for overdoing it on the dramatics and straying from its humble roots.

In an effort to bolster the franchise, the network parted ways with original judge Evans following a slew of controversies, and promised the series would be bouncing back to its core values of "real food and real people" in 2022.

It's understood Lawson will only feature in half of the season, with former MasterChef judge Matt Preston joining Feildel for the back half. Celebrity chefs Colin Fassnidge and Curtis Stone are also set to return as guest judges.