Nigella Lawson admitted taking cocaine and cannabis but said claims she was a drug addict are ‘absolutely ridiculous’, as she gave evidence to a jury today.
The TV chef said she took cocaine six times with her late husband John Diamond after he found out that he had terminal cancer.
She then took the drug again in July 2010 when she was being ‘subjected to intimate terrorism’ by Charles Saatchi, Isleworth Crown Court heard.
The 53-year-old also admitted taking cannabis during the final year of her marriage to the millionaire art dealer without his knowledge – although her daughter Phoebe did know.
Miss Lawson said: ‘I have never been a drug addict. I’ve never been a habitual user. There are two times in my life when I have used cocaine.’
She made the admission as she gave evidence against her two former personal assistants who are accused of fraud.
She said taking cocaine with her late husband John Diamond, who died in 2001, ‘gave him some escape’.
Miss Lawson said at the time she was responsible for looking after him and the family as well as earning a living.
She said: ‘I did speak to a doctor of palliative care because I was troubled about whether I should let John continue, and he said just let him. And so I didn’t judge or begrudge.’
But she said claims that credit cards and envelopes containing white powder were left around the home she shared with Mr Diamond were ‘completely false’.
She admitted that Mr Diamond used rolled-up notes to take the drug.
‘John did but he carefully ironed them out,’ she said. ‘There is some misery you cannot escape.’
After her first husband’s death she did not take the drug again until 2010 when she felt ‘isolated and in fear’.
She said a friend gave cocaine to her three years ago and she took it again – but only once.
She added: ‘There was another time I took cocaine. In July 2010 I was having a very very difficult time.
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