Nigella hits out at "dingbat" critics

Nigella Lawson has branded newspaper reporters "dingbats" for claiming that she deceived viewers.

An article published in the Daily Mail last year revealed that segments portrayed as being filmed at Lawson's home were not shot at her house in London's Eaton Square.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Lawson said: "There are two very different things. There's deceit, and there's artifice or illusion - like when you go to the theatre.

"I think there was a lot of bad faith in the television world at that time. I'm sure there were certain malpractices that were indefensible, but instead of just addressing these, the hysteria was spread across the board.

"I felt like saying, 'Listen, dingbats, viewers are not idiotic'. When I say on TV, 'This cake takes 20 minutes to bake' and then one minute later it's ready, what do they think I have done? Do they think I have some kind of Time Lord qualities?"

The TV chef also defended her Nigella Express series for using extras on a hired bus.

"Would they prefer that I went on a real red bus and made everyone on it two hours late for their appointments while I got on and off for the third time because the lighting wasn't right?" she said.

"It's very odd, because I'm not making a documentary."