“Seen this Grillo stuff?”, a friend at work asked me this afternoon. “That’s Nigella’s career in flames.” I sagely nodded. “I mean Kate Moss would get away with it. But Nigella the domestic goddess? No way.” I bobbed my head sadly. “Finished.”
This evening on the tube, I changed my mind. Sure, it’s a long way back for Nigella. Rock stars, film stars, models, politicians, even athletes can all bounce back from a marital breakdown or drug addiction. Domestic goddesses though are a different kettle of fish. Their chosen career means they are judged by wildly different standards. If you sell ‘the perfect wife’, you have to live it.
All that being said, I can envisage a not-altogether-unlikely comeback from dear old Nigella. Here’s how it plays out in the press:
Spring 2014: Lawson: Rehab ‘best decision I ever made’ (Guardian)
June – obligatory tell all This Morning interview
Summer 2014: Exclusive Snaps – Nigella wows St Tropez with her stunning new figure (Look)
Autumn 2014: Is society magnate [insert English-sounding double barrelled name] Nigella’s new man? Read their saucy tweets (Mirror)
Winter 2014: Past boiling point – 12 months on Nigella explains why she’s forgiving and forgetting after her ‘living hell’ (Sunday Times magazine)
Spring 2015: Nigella treats Cosima and Bruno to NY trip amid wedding rumours (Daily Mail Online)
Summer 2015: Exclusive Snaps – The Nigella wedding and revealing honeymoon beach shots (NOW)
Autumn 2015: 20 reasons why Nigella is still the ultimate housewife (Buzzfeed)
December 2015: Self Raising: Nigella’s comeback baking book for Christmas. Don’t worry, she jokes, no space cake recipes …
Let’s face it, in today’s 24 hour rolling media world, you’re only a warts’n’all interview, diet, tan, shag, new beau and wedding away from a spectacular comeback.
Nigella, you can DM me here: @joewalton. I’m expensive, but worth it.
Hatfield Spirit 