Oliver: A ratings hit in the United States

The show, and her book How To Be A Domestic Goddess, propelled Nigella Lawson, the daughter of former chancellor of the exchequer Nigel Lawson, to stardom.

Patrick Roberts, of Channel 4 International said: "American networks are looking for good, strong personalities and Nigella is that."

Cookery stars

Britain has exported cookery stars in the past with varying degrees of success - Ainsley Harriott's TV show was dropped after one series despite being a hit with the critics.

Jamie Oliver's programme The Naked Chef has attracted healthy ratings on the US channel The Food Network.

And TV presenter Anne Robinson has become a star in the US as host of the exported British quiz The Weakest Link.

More than 50 million viewers watched the first three broadcasts of the quiz on US television last week despite poor reviews from the critics.

Nigella Lawson's husband, columnist and broadcaster John Diamond, died in March following a long struggle against throat cancer.

A new series of her programme Nigella Bites is due to be screened on Channel 4 next month.

A new book by Ms Lawson, provisionally called Kitchen, is due to be released later in the year.