Nigella Lawson shows off her bunions Down Under

By Ben Todd Updated: 05:07 EST, 21 April 2011 143 View comments She raised eyebrows when she covered up her body for a trip to the beach earlier this week. But Nigella Lawson may have been wishing she had kept her feet hidden as she went shopping yesterday.

Ouch, those look painful: Nigella Lawson shows off her bunions Down Under

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She raised eyebrows when she covered up her body for a trip to the beach earlier this week.

But Nigella Lawson may have been wishing she had kept her feet hidden as she went shopping yesterday.

The Domestic Goddess unwittingly revealed a large bunion on her left foot as she strolled with a friend in Sydney.

Ouch: Nigella Lawson's bulging bunions were clearly visible as she shopped in Sydney yesterday

Ouch: Nigella Lawson's bulging bunions were clearly visible as she shopped in Sydney yesterday

Protruding: Lawson's decision to wear FitFlops was wise given her prominent bunions

Protruding: Lawson's decision to wear FitFlops was wise given her prominent bunions. The shoes claim to 'help realign ground force reaction closer to your joints'

Wearing a pair of silver sequinned FitFlops, the swelling joints were clearly visible as she visited stores in the Bondi area of the city.

It appears years of wearing high heels have taken their toll on Lawson's feet.

The mother-of-two has long been a fan of towering stilettos - even admitting to wearing them in the bedroom as part of her seduction technique.

A bunion is a bony bump at the base of the big toe joint. This becomes painfully inflamed when shoes rub against it - a problem made worse by high heels which throw the body weight forward.

Taking care of her feet: Lawson was wearing a pair of FitFlops - which claim to 'help realign ground force reaction closer to your joints'

Taking care of her feet: Lawson played it safe in her choice of footwear

A bunionectomy can be offered to correct it, which involves the surgeon cutting into the toe joint then re-aligning the toe bone and securing it with screws.

Such a procedure would mean taking time off from work and the patient isn't allowed to wear heels for months.

Lawson, 51, isn't alone - Victoria Beckham and Oprah Winfrey are just a few of a host of stars who suffer from the swelling of the foot joint.

After years in towering heels, Beckham had very prominent bunions on both feet.

Chillaxing: Earlier that day, Lawson relaxed on Bondi Beach with a friend

Chillaxing: Earlier that day, Lawson relaxed on Bondi Beach with a friend

But last year, she played down how painful they were: 'The attention on my feet really was embarrassing. I think I'll have to have the surgery, but I've heard it's most painful.

'They touched it up to make it look worse. If [my feet] were as bad as all that, I wouldn't be able to wear these fabulous shoes by Brian Atwood.'

Miss Lawson – who is married to advertising guru and art collector Charles Saatchi, 67 – is in Australia to film a new series of MasterChef. She will make a guest appearance alongside Rick Stein and Heston Blumenthal.

The celebrity chef is known  for showing off her curves in tight-fitting outfits on her television shows.

So it caused something of a stir on Monday when she visited Bondi Beach in a cover-all outfit that resembled a burkini – a swimsuit designed to preserve the modesty of Muslim women.

Cover up: Lawson drew stares as she wore a burkini on Bondi Beach earlier this week

Cover up: Lawson drew stares as she wore a burkini on Bondi Beach earlier this week

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