‘Life is too short’: Nigella Lawson, 62, speaks candidly about life in the moment and shares how she’s grown her social media following during the pandemic
Nigella Lawson has opened up about life in the moment as she has come to realize that “life is too short” after many challenging times over the years.
The 62-year-old British chef, who now has 2.7million Instagram followers, shares how her social media community has grown rapidly over the past two years during the coronavirus pandemic.
In an exclusive interview with Good Housekeeping, Nigella admitted her followers give her “a sense of camaraderie and connection” as they searched for cooking tips during lockdown.
Good Housekeeping: Nigella Lawson opened up to life in the moment she realized “life is too short” after facing many challenging times over the years
The TV presenter revealed that after many tough life challenges, she has learned to live in the moment: “I now understand the importance of staying in the moment and not worrying about all the things that could go wrong.
“At this point in my life, when something makes me happy, I don’t want to break it away and think, ‘Oh, this is going to end,’ because that feels thankless.
The TV chef tragically lost her mother Vanessa Salmon to liver cancer in 1985 and her sister Thomasina died eight years later in 1993 from breast cancer.
Nigella’s first husband, journalist John Diamond, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997 and died in March 2001.
They had two children together; Daughter Cosima, now 26, and son Bruno, now 24.
She continued, “I think as you get older and you know you’ve had more dinner than you have left, you realize you can’t afford to waste the good things or the good times. Life is too short.’
Nigella said: “I suppose as you get older and you know you’ve had more dinner than you have left, you realize you can’t afford to waste the good things or the good times. Life is too short’
Family: Her mother Vanessa Salmon died of liver cancer in 1985 and her sister Thomasina died of breast cancer eight years later in 1993 (pictured in 1965)
When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, Nigella was writing her latest book, Cook, Eat, Repeat, while also becoming a social media sensation.
She said: “It all started when the pandemic hit; I got a lot of panicked messages on Twitter from people who weren’t used to cooking, so I started giving advice like I would when a friend is calling for help.
“Everyone kept saying, ‘Oh, it’s so nice that you’re doing this,’ but the truth is, it was a mutual thing. It still is. It gives me a sense of camaraderie and connection with others, which is very important to me.”
Late husband: Her first husband, journalist John Diamond (left), was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997 and died in March 2001 (pictured in 2000)
Nigella has had her fair share of success over the years, having published 13 cookbooks that have sold more than eight million copies worldwide.
She has become a well-known and well-liked face in the industry having hosted award-winning cooking shows including Channel 4’s Nigella Bites and BBC Two’s Simply Nigella.
The chef went on to reveal one of her favorite recipes: “There is one recipe in particular – my Maltese cake – that people write to me about a lot
“And they say things like, ‘I’ve made it for every birthday since my kid was eight — and they’re 18 now!’ It’s so moving to be a part of someone’s life in this way.”
‘My mother’s blessed chicken. She died at the age of 48 and cooking this dish is a wonderful way for my kids to eat her food.”
The May issue of Good Housekeeping will be available from March 30th.
Speaking about her social media followers, she said, “It gives me a sense of camaraderie and connection to others, which is really important to me.”