Nigella’s “only desire” to protect children during court ordeal
TV cook Nigella Lawson has said her “only desire” during the trial of her and ex-husband Charles Saatchi‘s personal assistants was to protect her children but “alas I couldn’t always do”.
The mother-of-two appeared on US TV show Good Morning America to promote her new show, but was also asked about the court case, which saw her face allegations of drug-taking.
Asked what it was like to be a witness in the trial of Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo, who were acquitted, Lawson told the programme: “I can’t really remember exactly because you’re so focused on answering the questions to the best of your ability that actually you don’t really have an enormous awareness of yourself.
“Maybe that’s a good thing. My only desire really was to protect my children as much as possible which… alas I couldn’t always do.”
Ms Lawson added that having details of her acrimonious split from millionaire art dealer Mr Saatchi talked about in court under the glare of the world’s media was “mortifying”.
“To have not only your private life but distortions of your private life put on display is mortifying, but there are people going through an awful lot worse and to dwell on any of it would be self pity and I don’t like to do that,” she said.
But she said that she was looking towards the future.
“Actually since then I’ve eaten a lot of chocolate, had a very good Christmas and am into the New Year,” the food writer added.
Ms Lawson also commented on the fact that as a witness she was not able to have a lawyer defend her in court, unlike the two defendants on trial.
“It’s one of the niceties of the English legal system that you’re not allowed any counsel if you’re a witness but maybe that will change, maybe that’s good,” she said.
Lawson admitted during the trial that she took cocaine with her late husband John Diamond when he found out he had terminal cancer, and in 2010 when she claimed she was being ”subjected to intimate terrorism” by Mr Saatchi.
Police are to review her admission that she took the class A drug.
The self-styled “domestic goddess” was appearing on the breakfast show to talk about The Taste, which is also being broadcast in the UK on Channel 4 and has been described as MasterChef meets The Voice.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
