Court hears how Charles Saatchi put the brakes on Nigella Lawson's US TV career Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson was 'unhappy' in her marriage, court told Charles Saatchi stopped ex-wife going out 'on many, many occasions' Lawson's US TV show The Taste is set for second series next month She is accusing personal assistants of swindling her out of £685,000 Nigella Lawson's dream of cracking America was put on hold because Charles Saatchi stopped her being away from home for too long, a court heard today. The celebrity chef was "unhappy" in her marriage and "on many, many occasions" was stopped from going out by her millionaire art mogul husband, her former personal assistant Francesca Grillo said. Miss Lawson, 53 - whose U.S. TV show The Taste is set for a second series next month - has accused 35-year-old Francesca and her sister Elisabetta Grillo, 41, of swindling her out of £685,000. American programme: Nigella Lawson is pictured in her TV show The Taste, which aired in the US in January Claims: Nigela Lawson was "unhappy" in her marriage and was often stopped from going out by Charles Saatchi (both left), her former personal assistant Francesca Grillo (left in right photo, with sister Elisabetta) said The Taste: Miss Lawson's dream of cracking America was put on hold because of Mr Saatchi, the court heard Francesca told Isleworth Crown Court: "Before she started her new show... she had another offer - but she always put them off because Charles didn't like the idea of her being away for that long." Her barrister Karina Arden asked her: "Was she happy as far as you can tell?" Francesca replied: "I think in general no, her relationship, no." The defendant continued: "She is a very sociable woman. She is a people person and Charles is quite the opposite. So on many, many occasions she had to turn down things or not go out because Charles wouldn't approve. Asked what she spoke to Miss Lawson about, Francesca said: "About the children, and worries about how the children were growing up, her job, her desire to break America - the American market - her relationship with Charles and how the house was running, about the other PAs." Evidence: Francesca Grillo (pictured giving evidence in court today) also told jurors that Mr Saatchi would dispatch her to buy up copies of his book online Advert: Miss Lawson (second left) in the promo for the new series of The Taste on ABC. The talent show judges are (left to right) Ludo Lefebvre, Miss Lawson, Marcus Samuelsson and Anthony Bourdain A second series of The Taste featuring Miss Lawson is set to be screened by ABC in January. The show has also been commissioned by Channel 4, and it will be screened in Britain early next year. Francesca also told jurors that Mr Saatchi would dispatch her to buy up copies of his book online. He would then sit on his computer and watch his book sales go up, she added. 'On many, many occasions she had to turn down things or not go out because Charles wouldn't approve' Francesca Grillo She told Isleworth Crown Court: "One of my tasks was to buy books up on Amazon, WH Smith or Waterstones. I would buy them in bulk and they would be delivered to him in Eaton Square and afterwards they would go to the gallery. Francesca and Elisabetta, of Bayswater, west London, both deny one count of fraud. The trial was adjourned until tomorrow morning.