Former Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain has made headlines this week after vowing that she will ‘not be grateful’ following her TV show being axed by the BBC.
Earlier this month, the 40-year-old star shared that the broadcaster would not be commissioning another cookery show with her, despite a 10-year working relationship.
At the time, she thanked fans for ‘being on this journey with [her]’ andadmitted that being dropped by the Beeb made her reassess ‘where [she] wants to be’.
However, following the BBC’s announcement on the decision, Nadiya issued some fresh thoughts on the news, namely that as a Muslim woman, she isn’t always supported by the industry.
The Bake Off winner’s comments drew messages of support, with the likes of TV presenter Fearne Cotton leaving a string of red hearts beneath her post on Instagram.
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But taking a look at her career, what is the context of her relationship with the broadcaster and what could be next for the chef?
When was Nadiya Hussain on The Great British Bake Off?
The 40-year-old first rose to fame after winning Bake Off in 2015 and has since fronted several popular food and travel shows for the channel.
The star defeated Ian Cumming and Tamal Ray to win the major prize in what was an extremely close competition.
Many viewers said it was one of the best series and finals ever, with the speech Nadiya gave about believing in herself still a tear-jerking and moving moment to this day.
At the time, the show aired on BBC One, and Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood were the judges.
Meanwhile, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins were the hosts of the baking competition.
Since then, Nadiya has gone on to have one of the most successful post-Bake Off career out of any contestant to date and boasts 973,000 followers on Instagram.
What TV shows has she done since on the BBC?
Since her 2015 win, Nadiya has become the most recognisable of the competition’s winners, launching a series of cooking shows, TV appearances and cookbooks.
These shows included Nadiya’s Simple Spices, Nadiya’s Everyday Baking, Nadiya’s Cook Once, Eat Twice and more.
Other projects she has worked on include the documentary The Chronicles Of Nadiya as well as the cookery series Nadiya’s British Food Adventure and Nadiya’s Family Favourites.
Last year she revealed that she has not watched Bake Off since 2019 as the series has undergone so many changes, including the exit of presenters Mel and Sue as well as judge Mary Berry in 2016, following the show’s move from BBC to Channel 4. .
She told Heat: ‘I don’t watch Bake Off. I stopped watching it about five years ago as it has changed so much since I was on it. It’s a different show now, but I do love that Alison Hammond is the host.’
Why has Nadiya been axed by the BBC?
Explaining Nadiya’s dismissal, a BBC spokesperson said: ‘After several wonderful series we have made the difficult decision not to commission another cookery show with Nadiya Hussain at the moment.’
The BBC did not rule out a future collaboration with the star, however, adding: ‘Nadiya remains a much-valued part of the BBC family, and we look forward to working together on future projects.’
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Taking to her Instagram page following the announcement, the chef said: ‘I have received tons of messages since talking about my situation with the BBC, messages from people telling me to be grateful for the opportunity and be thankful for how far I’ve come.
‘Now, my whole life, as a child in an immigrant household, I used to think I had to be grateful all the time because I watched my family, always grateful. Grateful for being let in, grateful for having work, even if underpaid, grateful for safety, even if it meant silence.
‘Always grateful, even when I feel tired, lonely, or disrespected. At first, gratitude felt right because it was instilled in me from a young age; it was all I saw,’ she reflected.
‘But after a while, it starts to get really heavy. Gratitude became something that I was expected to wear like a uniform. Anytime I voiced frustration or sadness or wanted more, I could feel the invisible pressure.
‘Like, how dare you complain? Aren’t you lucky just to be here? But here’s what I’ve come to understand.’
Nadiya went on to say firmly: ‘I am allowed to feel more than just thankful. I am a human being, and I am allowed to feel angry when I’m treated unfairly. I’m allowed to want better for myself and for my family. I’m allowed to speak up. I’m allowed to exist fully. Complex, emotional, hopeful, sometimes critical, just like anyone else.
‘So, gratitude has its place, but it shouldn’t be a muzzle, like a dog. We didn’t come here just to survive; we came here to live, to grow, to contribute, to belong, not as a guest, but as a person who has rights and dreams and dignity, just like everyone else.’
The baker ended on a poignant, empowering note: ‘So no, I won’t always be grateful, and that doesn’t make me ungrateful; it makes me human. That’s what it does.
‘So, I’ve got here through hard work, through determination, through talent, so no, I won’t be grateful. I got here because I’m good at what I do. Just something to think about.’
She also revealed her feeling that as a Muslim woman, she isn’t always supported by the industry.
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