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Original poster

To think Nigella’s Dutch Christmas had a melancholic tone !!!!

26 replies

Coastalwalks · 22/12/2023 22:02

Just that really … think Nigella is a wonderful chef and no doubt a lovely woman too. She has had a hard life with the death of her husband and I imagine living in the public eye with everyone scrutinising you is horrible. no doubt I am being a bit woo but found her Dutch Christmas programme a bit off - all felt very studied and forced and she had a great air of melancholy !!!!! It felt like watching a hostage scenario !!!

YABU, OP you’re being weird
YANBU, Nigella blink twice if you need to be freed from a Christmas special contract

OP posts:
tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 22/12/2023 22:23

I felt it was a bit flat and forced too and I normally bloody love watching Nigella. I think she's been really unwell in the last few years so maybe that too? Just felt like she was going through the motions with occasional moments of the Old Her coming through like when she delved into her liquorice chest.

JoeLovesGina · 22/12/2023 22:37

I think it was partly because it looked like she was underground, the setting felt really claustrophobic. Some great recipes though. And that cheese shop - bet her cheese order cost about a week's wages!

Candycurrantbun · 22/12/2023 22:39

Her inane grinning gets on my nerves.

Dynamoat · 22/12/2023 22:41

Was it like the Dwight Schrute Dutch Christmas?

EffortlesslyInelegant · 22/12/2023 22:44

Dynamoat · 22/12/2023 22:41

Was it like the Dwight Schrute Dutch Christmas?

About as far from that as you could get!

Nigella's improbably serene half-smile makes me want to go kick things Grin

howandwhyyy · 22/12/2023 22:44

I think she's been really unwell in the last few years so maybe that too?

@tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz I didn't know this - where did you hear this?

I thought she seemed to be stumbling over words/ slurring her words from time to time in this amsterdam one.

It did occur to me that it could be "substances" as in https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/26/nigella-lawson-cocaine-charles-saatchi

but then I thought, there is no way they'd film her if that was the case so I was guessing maybe there was something medical at play.

I wondered if it was a mini-stroke or something.

hope she's ok.

Nigella Lawson took cocaine and other drugs every day for years, court told

Former assistants accused of defrauding TV cook of £300,000 claim she kept 'guilty secret' from then husband Charles Saatchi

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/26/nigella-lawson-cocaine-charles-saatchi

OhGoOnThenIfYouInsist · 22/12/2023 22:45

'Fat Patty, my drag name'
That's this years 'Mee cro wah vey'

Loved seeing Amsterdam at Christmas but that was about it
It was a very long hour!

AnonyLonnymouse · 22/12/2023 22:49

I don’t mind the cookery but Nigella is an educated woman and I lose sympathy for anyone who takes cocaine, knowing the direct impact of the trade on people in Columbia.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 22/12/2023 22:58

Dynamoat · 22/12/2023 22:41

Was it like the Dwight Schrute Dutch Christmas?

Grin
mrsbyers · 22/12/2023 23:17

I think she appeared lonely , on a barge in another city alone and the ‘party’ was as usual obviously a load of people she didn’t know

DianaTiana · 22/12/2023 23:57

Yes it felt weird to me too. Very forced.

Hobbesmanc · 23/12/2023 07:13

We enjoyed it. That advocaat and ginger cake looked lush. Was annoyed though that she didn't give a recipe for the speculos spice mix unless I missed it later on?

Sparkletastic · 23/12/2023 07:25

She's hilarious and a national treasure. She knows exactly what she's doing and does it with aplomb. We enjoyed it immensely. Just wish she'd popped a 'my take on space cakes' recipe in Wink

Original poster
Coastalwalks · 23/12/2023 07:50

@howandwhyyy and @mrsbyers that's exactly how I felt, all those shots of her travelling alone down the river staring off in to the distance with what looked like tears in her eyes!! I also think it is ridiculous to have the 'party shots' full of people in their twenties, when a beautiful woman of 63 obviously actually spends her time with friends her age ! (Nigella reportedly a good friend of Salman Rushdie though I can understand he would likely have to be forced on-set with a cattle prod... though he did have a cameo in Bridget Jones once so maybe not!?)

OP posts:
grayhairdontcare · 23/12/2023 08:15

@mrsbyers her children were in that "party"

PictureOfAPig · 23/12/2023 08:25

*did occur to me that it could be "substances" as in https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/26/nigella-lawson-cocaine-charles-saatchi

but then I thought, there is no way they'd film her if that was the case so I was guessing maybe there was something medical at play.

I wondered if it was a mini-stroke or something.*

Sorry but wtf? 😭

Ive never loved her presenting style- what other people interpret as sexy I’ve always found a bit awkward and uncomfortable, and I think she finds doing it quite uncomfortable according to interviews she’s given. I love her writing though.

Nigella Lawson took cocaine and other drugs every day for years, court told

Former assistants accused of defrauding TV cook of £300,000 claim she kept 'guilty secret' from then husband Charles Saatchi

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/26/nigella-lawson-cocaine-charles-saatchi

MattDamon · 23/12/2023 08:30

Yes! Thank you for posting this. I felt really blah when I turned it off. Kept thinking this isn't her at all (well, maybe the posh cheese shop...).

I think it might have helped if she'd had actual dutch friends there and said something like, 'My dear friends, Bram and Annika are joining us for a traditional dutch meal with a modern twist'.

It just felt very lonely as it was presented.

RallySooney · 23/12/2023 08:34

I generally enjoy watching Nigella but agree there was something off in this programme and I also began to wonder if she has early Parkinson's disease.

Isopedia · 23/12/2023 08:39

I don't think I've ever seen an actual Nigella Christmas special, but I do love Munya Chawawa's version 😁

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeF6Knj8/

TikTok - Make Your Day

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeF6Knj8

Hobbesmanc · 23/12/2023 08:47

JoeLovesGina · 23/12/2023 08:36

Yum. Thank you. I'm just wondering if I have all those spices lol. I've done my shop and I'm not venturing out again.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 23/12/2023 10:46

Sparkletastic · 23/12/2023 07:25

She's hilarious and a national treasure. She knows exactly what she's doing and does it with aplomb. We enjoyed it immensely. Just wish she'd popped a 'my take on space cakes' recipe in Wink

I was hoping for this too!

CrushingOnRubies · 23/12/2023 11:11

Her dad died in April and maybe depending on when this was filmed she wasn't feeling the most festive as a result, especially as it rang home that it will be the first Christmas without him

IClaudine · 23/12/2023 11:15

I am just watching it now, and she doesn't seem quite right. I hope she is OK, I really like her.

SagaNorensPorche · 23/12/2023 11:17

Can't believe some of the speculation on this thread. Jesus, give her a break. For the previous poster - all the recipes are now on her website - www.nigella.com/recipes/bbc-nigellas-amsterdam-christmas-special-2023