Nigella Lawson was prohibited from boarding a flight to the U.S. over the weekend, a move that reportedly stems from a court appearance last year where the British celebrity chef admitted to using cocaine and smoking marijuana.
Lawson reportedly arrived at Heathrow Airport Sunday morning to catch a flight to Los Angeles but was stopped after she passed through security and told she was
banned from traveling to the U.S., a source told the Daily Mail.
"She didn’t seem to say much, but she did not look happy," a witness told the U.K. newspaper. "She could not get on the flight so she had to turn around and leave."
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The U.S. government reportedly has the power to prohibit someone suspected of a drug offense from traveling into the country even without a conviction, the Mail reported, noting that the reason for Lawson's detainment has not been confirmed.
Lawson, who is currently starring on the U.S. television show "The Taste," is expected to appeal the travel ban.
Lawson's alleged drug use was revealed during a court appearance last year. Lawson and her ex-husband, Charles Saatchi, sued two women who worked for them, accusing the pair of
credit card fraud, MSN Wonderwall reported. The women testified that they were granted permission to make the charges in question as long as they didn’t talk about Lawson’s cocaine use.
Under oath, Lawson said she used cocaine and smoked marijuana in front of her children, according to Wonderwall.
Even if Lawson chooses to appeal the decision, the Mail said it could take months for the situation to be straightened out. There’s no word yet on whether such a situation could jeopardize her participation as a judge on "The Taste."
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