Nigella Lawson speaks out for first time since trial's verdict: It was 'mortifying'

As the celebrity chef tries putting her life back on track after a tumultuous year, she seeks comfort in something sweet: 'I've eaten a lot of chocolate,' she says.

Nigella Lawson admitted that having her personal life come under harsh public scrutiny was ‘mortifying.’

Nigella Lawson has spoken out for the first time since her personal assistants were acquitted of fraud Dec. 20 after accusing her of using cocaine and paying them to stay quiet.

Lawson admitted Thursday on "Good Morning America" to feeling as though she was the one on trial, and blamed it on the English legal system saying, "You're not allowed any counsel if you're a witness, but maybe it will change. Maybe that's good."

Nigella Lawson appeared on ‘Good Morning America’ Thursday and spoke out for the first time since her former personal assistants were acquitted in what may be the most sensational trial of 2013.

During court proceedings the focus moved away from Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo, who worked for Lawson and her millionaire art dealer ex-husband Charles Saatchi. The sisters were accused of illegally charging over $1 million on Saatchi's company credit card to support their lavish lifestyle, but when they insisted they were given permission to use the card in exchange for remaining silent about the TV personality's drug use, the spotlight was on Lawson.

Nigella Lawson’s life was put through the wringer in 2013 when she was accused of a serious drug habit, which included cocaine and marijuana use.

Her credibility and professionalism was put into question.

Elisabetta (L) and Francesca Grillo were charged with fraud after allegedly using Charles Saatchi’s company credit card to finance their lavish lifestyle. They claimed they were given permission to use it in exchange for remaining silent about Nigella Lawson’s drug abuse.

"I have to be honest, to have not only your private life but distortions of your private life put on display is mortifying," she admitted on "GMA." "But there are people going through an awful lot worse and to dwell on any of it would be self-pity and I don't like to do that."

In fact, throughout the trial and Lawson's ugly divorce from Saatchi after photos surfaced of Saatchi choking her, she's remained focused on one thing -- her children.

Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson went through an ugly divorce earlier this year after photos surfaced of him choking her.

"My only desire really was to protect my children as much as possible, which I couldn't do, but that's what I wanted to do," she said.

Now that her personal life has gone through the wringer and she is free of her abusive, destructive 10-year union to Saatchi, she can begin rebuilding her career and healing with her children Cosima and Bruno from her first marriage. In the meantime, Lawson, who admitted to using cocaine and marijuana a handful of times, uses something sweeter to comfort her.

"Actually since then I've eaten a lot of chocolate," she confessed. "(And I) had a very good Christmas and I'm into the New Year."

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