NIGELLA BRINGS OUT THE ELECTION NIGHT CAULDRON OF CRISPS AGAIN

• TV cook's famous cauldron of snacks, wheeled out for major events including football tournaments and general election, helped Nigella stay up all night 
• Read more: 2024 general election results in full: MailOnline's live-updating maps and charts reveal who won in your constituency and how much by

Nigella Lawson has carved a lucrative career thanks to her sophisticated culinary skills, penning cookbooks and hosting her own cookery shows - but the TV chef clearly hasn't lost sight of the fact that sometimes a packet of Hula Hoops is all you need. 

The celebrity chef, steeling herself for a night of watching the election results go from exit poll predictions to Keir Starmer's official 5am elevation to Downing Street, brought out her now-famous 'cauldron of crisps' for sustenance. 

The large metal bucket, this time brimming with Frazzles, Mini Cheddars, Monster Munch and Skips, comes out on occasions of note that require some stamina, including England football matches. 

The daughter of Nigel Lawson, a Conservative Party MP for Blaby for 18 years, shared a photo of the cauldron with her 2.7 million followers on X, writing: 'The crisp cauldron has been restocked. 

'More supplies hidden if it needs to be replenished throughout the night, of course #generalelection.'

The bucket of snacks sparked plenty of responses, inspiring others to reach for the crisps to get them through a night that saw Labour achieve a landslide victory over the Conservative party. 

A parody account for one Downing Street resident, Larry the Cat, asked the celebrity cook: 'Should have known your crisp game would be strong; room for a cat on your sofa?'

Nigella, who said she would wash said crisps down with a Campari and soda, replied: 'For you, anything. You’ve suffered enough.'

Clearly in jovial mood as the results began to trickle in, Nigella responded to a fan who said they were relieved to see Hula Hoops in the cauldron, saying: 'What do you take me for?'

Another fan asked what time Nigella would 'raid the fridge and eat trifle straight from a crystal bowl with a ladle?', to which the TV cook suggested 4am was the moment to do it.

The last time the London-based TV cook, 64, brought out the giant vat of crisps was during the last Euros, when England played Italy in the final of the tournament, describing it as 'half-time snackage'.

She gave fans then a little insight into the cauldron, saying it's 'Diameter 60cm; depth 40cm. My children used to like hiding in it when they were little (and it didn’t even have crisps in it then!)'.

She added that she likes all sorts of crisps 'not just posh ones' with Monster Munch and Twiglets among her favourites.

For the Conservatives at least, it was indeed a very long night, with a record number of frontbenchers losing their seats as Labour stormed to an historic landslide win.

The morning after? Rishi Sunak bade goodbye to Downing Street after leading the Tories to their worst ever election result - with Keir Starmer waiting in the wings to take over.

Flanked by clearly emotional wife Akshata, the PM delivered his parting statement as he prepares to head for Buckingham Palace where he will formally tender his resignation to the King.

He said he was 'sorry' and had 'heard the anger' of the country and the 'clear message' of the ballot.

'I have given this job my all. But you have sent a clear message, and yours is the only judgement that matters,' he said.

'This is a difficult day, but I leave this job honoured to have been Prime Minister of the best country in the world.'

Mr Sunak said he would resign as Tory leader once a replacement had been chosen. He also paid tribute to Sir Keir as a public servant, wishing him and his family well in their new duties.

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2024-07-05T10:41:11Z dg43tfdfdgfd