Nigella Lawson, known as the ‘domestic goddess’ because of her homely presence and squeaky-clean image, has been accused of being a severe drug user.

Nigella was in court on Tuesday to try her former assistants, sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, for fraud. It is believed that they were able to steal up to R3 million from Lawson and ex-husband Charles Saatchi while they were working for the celebrity couple.

While in court, the judge read out an email from Saatchi in which addressed his former wife as “Higella”. Saatchi went on to claim that:

Of course now the Grillos will get off on the basis that you were so off your head on drugs you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked … and yes I believe every word they have said.

Saatchi also accused Lawson of poisoning her 19-year-old daughter Cosima with drugs and “trashing her life.” The Grillo sisters, however, testified that “Higella” let them spend as much as they wanted, as long as they didn’t tell Saatchi about her, or her daughter’s drug habits. The judge read out a second letter from Saatchi:

I am concerned that Miss Lawson gave the defendants permission to use the accounts for personal purposes whilst under the influence of drugs and/or that Miss Lawson has no credible recollection of events as a result of drug abuse.

It is claimed that Lawson had been using cocaine, marijuana, prescription medication as well as other class B drugs for quite some time. Fair to say that this TV-chef was well and truly cooked. Or baked. Or both.

[Source : The Guardian]