Nigella Lawson’s mee-cro-wah-vay quip has been nominated for a Bafta

The TV cook’s pronunciation of microwave became an instant internet meme

Nigella Lawson’s pronunciation of the word microwave as “mee-cro-wah-vay” has been nominated for a Bafta.

The celebrity chef’s unusual articulation of the humble kitchen appliance in the BBC cookery series Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat immediately went viral in December 2020 as viewers delighted in the unorthodox pronunciation.

Social media users described the moment as “truly iconic”, and tweeted with the hashtag “#microwavé”.

“Eternally grateful to Nigella Lawson for letting us know we've all been mispronouncing microwave for the last 50 (or so) years,” joked another.

“Am I the only one who thought @Nigeella_Lawson was being sarcastic when she pronounced Meecro-wavé?! Now, I’m starting to think she really pronounces it like that?” said Twitter user @CraigUK1983.

“Well, I do say it like that, but not because I think that’s how it’s actually pronounced,” Lawson replied.

Now, the moment from the hit TV show has been nominated for the Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment Award, which aims to celebrate the year’s best television.

Other nominees in this category include Diversity’s Black Lives Matter dance routine on Britain’s Got Talent, which prompted over 24,000 Ofcom complaints which claimed it was “racist” towards white people, too critical of police officers and unsuitable for family viewing.

In response, the media regulator dismissed all of the complaints in an eight-page ruling, stating that the central message of the performance “was a call for social cohesion and unity”.

The cast of Googlebox criticising Boris Johnson’s press conferences, Lady Whistledown being revealed on Netflix’s Bridgerton, Chantelle Atkin’s death in EastEnders and Luke Skywalker’s shock appearance in The Mandalorian were also nominated.

David Bouchier, chief TV and entertainment officer at Virgin Media, said: “2020 was a year like no other and great television was at the heart of every moment that kept the nation connected, entertained and informed.

“Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment recognises the TV moments that played such a powerful role in all of our lives throughout the past year.”

The winner, which is decided by public vote, will be announced in the TV Baftas ceremony, which is set for broadcast on BBC One on 6 June.