Nigella Lawson has officially entered the Bake Off tent and viewers have already made their feelings about the new judge very clear.

The TV cook, 66, made her debut on The Great British Bake Off on Tuesday (September 22), joining long-standing judge Paul Hollywood as the Channel 4 favourite returned for its 17th series.

And while replacing Dame Prue Leith was always going to be a rather large pair of oven gloves to fill, Lawson wasted little time making the tent her own.

“I’m full of cake and hope and expectation,” she told the contestants.

“The standard is incredibly high.”

The new series opened with Cake Week, with Lawson setting the bakers a signature challenge based on her chocolate stout cake, followed by a technical challenge involving coffee and walnut cake and a self-portrait Showstopper.

And there was plenty for the new judge to get her teeth into.

Lawson told the bakers she was looking forward to seeing their “artistic skill” during the Showstopper challenge, while she later encouraged them to bring some personality to their creations.

“If you are not the Picasso of patisserie what I want is a bit of personality, some wit,” she said.

Her arrival comes after Prue announced earlier this year that she was stepping down from Bake Off after nine series.

The opening episode even gave the outgoing judge a suitably surreal send-off, with Prue appearing to “regenerate” into Lawson in a Doctor Who-style skit.

Alison described Prue’s departure as “the end of an era”, before the new judge emerged to take her place in the tent.

Lawson had admitted before her first episode that she was nervous about stepping into the famous tent.

Ahead of Tuesday night's launch, she told her Instagram followers that she could not pretend she was not nervous, but said she was also hugely excited.

She wrote: “It’s a huge honour to be part of something as cherished (and rightfully so) as Bake Off, and I’m enormously grateful, somewhat overawed and supremely happy.”

And viewers certainly had plenty to say once she finally appeared on screen.

Some fans were immediately delighted to see the domestic goddess back on television, with one viewer writing on X: “I could look at Nigella Lawson all day, please don’t tell me that she’s bad.”

Another posted: “Nigella Lawson on Bake Off. My goodness. I adore that woman. Absolutely adore Nigella Lawson. I’m deeply content at the moment.”

Others appeared to need little convincing, with viewers on Reddit describing the episode as one of their favourite series premieres and praising Lawson as a welcome addition to the team.

One Reddit user said: “Overall I was surprised by how well Nigella fit in as a judge and with the hosts and Paul. I think it was a good first episode and we got to know all the contestants which isn't easy with so many.

“There are at least 3-4 who could win the whole thing based on this episode. Looking forward to seeing who rises in bread week and who gets taken out by pastry.”

One fan joked that they were watching because of Lawson after not tuning into Bake Off for 11 years, while another simply celebrated her return to television.

During the show, contestant Molly suffered a particularly painful disaster when her chocolate sponge slipped while she was taking it out of the oven and crashed onto the floor.

The devastated baker was left in tears after the accident, explaining that she had been using only one oven glove and believed the tin had caught on the oven shelf.

Meanwhile, contestant Shannon became unwell during the Showstopper challenge and was unable to finish her bake.

Mo ultimately claimed the first Star Baker title of the new series.

But, in another twist, nobody was sent home in the first episode.

The decision came after Shannon was unable to complete her showstopper, meaning all 12 bakers will return to the tent for Biscuit Week.

Lawson’s fellow Bake Off stars have already been singing her praises, with Hollywood describing her as a warm and nurturing presence with the contestants.

Noel Fielding commented on Lawson’s Instagram post, saying: “Beautiful words from a beautiful lady - don’t be nervous my gothic twin, you were amazing! X”

Claudia Winkleman was among the famous faces cheering her on too, telling Lawson: “You’re completely brilliant.”

Hollywood added: “Enjoy the ride Nigella x you were superb.”

The Great British Bake Off continues next Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4.