Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Autumn Winter 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    1. Celebrity News

    Did Nigella Lawson Really Lie About Her Drug Use?

    Nigella Lawson has been accused of lying about her drug use, as Charles Saatchi's court case against her former assistants continues...

    By Jessica Bridgeman
    Published 13 December 2013 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Nigella Lawson arrives in court for fraud trial
    Nigella Lawson arrives in court for fraud trial
    (Image credit: Rex)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Nigella Lawson has been accused of lying about her drug use, as Charles Saatchi's court case against her former assistants continues...

    Nigella Lawson has been branded a 'liar' in the latest twist to Charles Saatchi’s ongoing court case.

    The TV chef has been accused of lying about the extent of her drug use, by Elisabetta Grillo, one of the former assistants on trial over fraud allegations by Saatchi.

    Nigella, who recently admitted to taking cocaine a mere six times in her life, was accused of being a regular user of Class A drugs and had been known to smoke cannabis in front of her children, claimed Elisabetta.

    Elisabetta then told the court she has come across evidence of drug use ‘once every three days’ but has never seen Nigella take drugs.

    You may like
    • Aesthetics Safety "What Did She Expect?"—The Sexism and Classism Behind The UK’s Aesthetics Safety Crisis
    • Beauty Dupes People Are Obsessed With Beauty Dupes Being Made in the "Same Factory" As Premium Counterparts—That Myth Doesn't Hold Up
    • Andy Burnham and Marie-France van Heel entering 10 Downing Street “Are We Just Jealous?” Victoria Moss Unpacks the Sexist, Ageist Commentary Around Marie-France van Heel’s Victoria Beckham Dress

    She allegedly saw ‘evidence of drug use’ both at Nigella’s home in West London and the mansion she later shared with ex-husband Charles Saatchi. 

    Nigella Lawson Charles Saatchi going for lunch in London

    Nigella Lawson Charles Saatchi going for lunch in London
    (Image credit: Rex)

    Elisabetta described finding banknotes, credit cards and CDs with white powder on them, as well as small envelopes containing cocaine tucked away in bathrooms.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    She went on to describe Nigella’s marriage to the millionare art dealer Charles Saatchi as ‘not very happy’, while describing him as ‘shouty’ and belittling to both his wife and staff.

    The accusations follow Nigella’s former claims that her ex-husband had ‘made threat to destroy’ her.

    Nigella Lawson arrives in court for fraud trial

    Nigella Lawson arrives in court for fraud trial
    (Image credit: Rex)

    Elisabetta and her sister Francesca, both of Bayswater, West London, deny unlawfully spending £685,000 on credit cards loaned to them by 70-year-old Saatchi.

    The case continues...

    Got a tablet? You can now download Marie Claire magazine straight to your iPad, Kindle (just search the store for 'marie claire magazine'), Nook or Google Nexus.

    Jessica Bridgeman
    Social Links Navigation
    Read more
    Aesthetics Safety
    Beauty "What Did She Expect?"—The Sexism and Classism Behind The UK’s Aesthetics Safety Crisis
    Beauty Dupes
    Beauty People Are Obsessed With Beauty Dupes Being Made in the "Same Factory" As Premium Counterparts—That Myth Doesn't Hold Up
     
     
    Andy Burnham and Marie-France van Heel entering 10 Downing Street
    Fashion “Are We Just Jealous?” Victoria Moss Unpacks the Sexist, Ageist Commentary Around Marie-France van Heel’s Victoria Beckham Dress
    Alisha Boe
    Fragrance "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It": Actor Alisha Boe on Why She'll Never Give Up Her Signature Scent
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity News
    Olivia Rodrigo performing on stage in a babydoll dress that sparked online debate, later prompting the singer to speak out about the sexualisation of girlhood and double standards facing young women.
    Celebrity News “We Really Normalise Pedophilia in Our Culture”: What Olivia Rodrigo's Babydoll Dress Backlash Reveals About Girlhood
    Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan'
    Celebrity News Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral
     
     
    Anne Hathaway attends the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2
    Celebrity News Anne Hathaway Has Spoken Out About Her 10-Year Health Battle
    The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona
    Royal News Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
     
     
    Latest in News
    New Beauty Launches Romilly Wilde / Cécred / Bobbi Brown
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Cécred Comes to the UK, Romilly Wilde Returns & £22 Skincare Gets Serious
    The Beauty Digest: New Products to Know
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: A Foundation With Infinite Shades, Diptyque Does Bodycare, and the Exhibition Every Beauty Lover Should See
     
     
    Eva Omaghomi
    Fashion After 17 years in the Royal Household, Eva Omaghomi Talks Bringing African Design Talent to Harrods
    New Beauty Products: The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Dyson Does Teeth, Fenty Rips Up the Rulebook (Again) and a Surprisingly Fragrant Week for Dogs
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.