Nigella Lawson has said she is "not proud" of her past drug use after admitting she has occasionally taken cocaine and cannabis.
The TV cook said she would rather be "honest and ashamed" than "bullied with lies".
She said no one relished the spotlight being put on their mistakes, and denied her admission was "damage limitation".
The 53-year-old was in court for a second day as a witness in the trial of two former personal assistants, Elisabetta, also referred to as Lisa, and Francesca Grillo.
Sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo are accused of fraud The pair are accused of spending more than £685,000 on credit cards loaned to them by Ms Lawson and her ex-husband Charles Saatchi.
The Italian sisters - who prosecutors claim lived the "high life", spending the money on designer clothes and handbags from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood - deny committing fraud by abusing their positions for personal gain.
Ms Lawson told Isleworth Crown Court in west London on Thursday: "I'm not proud of the fact I have taken drugs but that does not make me a drug addict or a habitual drug user.
"I would rather be honest if ashamed and explain the drug usage ... but I wanted to make sure that I was not being bullied with lies."
Charles Saatchi appeared as a witness in the trial last week Ms Lawson said she objected to stories "peddled" by Mr Saatchi, including that he was checking her nose for cocaine when he was photographed with his hand on her throat outside Scott's restaurant in central London.
"Mr Saatchi was not examining me for cocaine. That was a story he made up afterwards to clear his name," she said.
She denied lying to police when she disputed the drug allegations against her and said it was the "extent" of her drug use that was untrue.
Ms Lawson has admitted using cocaine "It was not true in that my ex-husband was saying that he was getting cocaine out of my nose at Scott's and that I had been completely off my head for 10 years," she said.
"I actually did say at the time it was the extent that was not true.
"If you think I would sabotage my health and leave my children orphans you are wrong."
Questioned by Karina Arden, defending Francesca Grillo, Ms Lawson denied using her evidence to explain herself in front of "the world's press".
She also denied keeping cocaine in a hollowed-out book along with jewellery belonging to her late husband and grandmother.
She said: "That would not be right. I did not want to come to court because I had been menaced and there were allegations, and instead of it being a trial of your client, I would be put on trial.
"Up until yesterday, I've never spoken about anything that has happened over these past months because I wanted to keep my private life, private."
She said: "I felt it was my duty to come. I certainly felt it would be an unpleasant experience but that's not a good enough reason not to do one's duty."
The food writer admitted there were "no written-down rules" about the use of Mr Saatchi's company credit card by the PAs.
"It was known, because it was spoken, that they were not for personal use except if directed," she said.
"I think any normal person would think that someone else's credit card could not be used freely for someone else."
The trial continues.
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