Jamie Oliver opens up on dyslexia and says kitchen saved him
It comes as the 50-year-old celebrity chef has lived is set to present a new documentary on the topic, titled Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution.
The show will dive into the challenges and issues children with dyslexia face in Britain while asking whether the Government can do more to fix the education system.
Having lived with the learning difficulty all his life, he said the documentary was "painful" and opened up about the topic.
The 50-year-old celebrity chef has lived with the learning difficulty all his life.
According to the NHS, dyslexia is described as a 'common learning difficulty that causes problems with reading, writing and spelling'.
Now, he is set to present a new documentary on the topic.
Speaking to the Sunday Times about the upcoming documentary, Oliver said: 'I'm unpacking quite a lot of stuff.
'I thought I'd buried it but it's hitting a nerve.
'Genuinely, of all the things I've ever done, this documentary is the most viscerally painful.
'I've seen so many high-flying, talented, grown men cry about this — I've just done it to you — the concept of being worthless (when you're) young is real. It's really triggering.'
Jamie Oliver has lived with dyslexia all of his life (Image: PA) Having left school with two GCSEs, the celebrity chef also opened up about the challenges he faced, admitting that the kitchen 'saved' him.
He said: 'I didn't have any extra time in exams, there were no strategies, just a bit of extra tutoring help.
'There was no robust dyslexic knowledge then.'
He also described feeling 'stupid, worthless and thick' and developing 'a hatred of words and a total resentment for education' while other students called him a 'stupid dunce', leaving him with a 'deep-seated feeling of constantly being behind'.
'I didn't tell mum, dad or the teachers. I just bottled it up inside.
'The kitchen saved me. I knew I had something to offer."
Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution will air on Channel 4 on June 9 at 9pm.
The Essex-born chef and author is known for hosting cooking shows and documentaries including The Naked Chef and Jamie's Kitchen.
He has also published a series of cookbooks, including Jamie's 30-Minute Meals.
Oliver has been an avid campaigner over the years, including calling on the Government for greater provisions for healthier school meals and playing a role in imposing a sugar tax on soft drinks.
He is now campaigning for greater support in schools, calling for early screenings for dyslexia and neurodiversity.
Recommended reading:
He said: 'We also need more training for teachers. In a two to three-year training course only about half a day is given to neurodiversity.
'I've only got love for teachers, we need to appreciate them more.
'But they want to be trained, they want to have the tools to notice, understand and react.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I was looking at Eric Bristow's flat when he died and his demise hit me hard, says ex-BBC darts host Bobby George
'MY MATE' I was looking at Eric Bristow's flat when he died and his demise hit me hard, says ex-BBC darts host Bobby George Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BOBBY GEORGE says the sudden death of long-time drinking and darts pal Eric Bristow seven years ago 'hit me hard'. And his new book details the duo's many escapades. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Darts great Eric Bristow passed away seven years ago Credit: REX 4 The former world champion passed away aged 60 Credit: GETTY 4 Long-time pal Bobby George has opened up on the passing of the beloved Bristow Credit: GETTY They first met in the 1970s and became oche rivals — they contested the 1980 World Darts Championship final — but also 'very good friends'. According to George, the five-time world champion would be 'good as gold until about 10 or 10.30pm — then he'd become a complete a***hole once he had drunk too much'. The King of Bling, claimed Hackney-born Bristow would be 'rude, arrogant, leery and happy to pick a fight with anyone . . . I didn't like him when he was like that, no one did'. Yet the Crafty Cockney never wavered in his strong loyalty towards George, 11 years the senior man, whom he called Bo. Bristow — one of the sport's greatest throwers — died on April 5, 2018 from a heart attack before a Premier League event in Liverpool. He was 60. Writing in Still Here! The King of Bling, George, 79, said: 'Eric Bristow's death hit me hard. 'He was only 60 for f***'s sake. That's no age these days, is it? I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed. 'He could be a pain in the a*** and we had some right ding-dongs over the years. List of all-time Darts World Champions BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year. The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions. That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once - Barney also won four BDO titles - and none of Eric Bristow's five BDO titles are included. 1994 - Dennis Priestley 1995 - Phil Taylor 1996 - Phil Taylor (2) 1997 - Phil Taylor (3) 1998 - Phil Taylor (4) 1999 - Phil Taylor (5) 2000 - Phil Taylor (6) 2001 - Phil Taylor (7) 2002 - Phil Taylor (8) 2003 - John Part 2004 - Phil Taylor (9) 2005 - Phil Taylor (10) 2006 - Phil Taylor (11) 2007 - Raymond van Barneveld 2008 - John Part (2) 2009 - Phil Taylor (12) 2010 - Phil Taylor (13) 2011 - Adrian Lewis 2012 - Adrian Lewis (2) 2013 - Phil Taylor (14) 2014 - Michael van Gerwen 2015 - Gary Anderson 2016 - Gary Anderson (2) 2017 - Michael van Gerwen (2) 2018 - Rob Cross 2019 - Michael van Gerwen (3) 2020 - Peter Wright 2021 - Gerwyn Price 2022 - Peter Wright (2) 2023 - Michael Smith 2024 - Luke Humphries 2025 - Luke Littler Most World Titles 14 - Phil Taylor 3 - Michael van Gerwen 2 - John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright 1 - Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler 'But for most of the time, he was my mate and we had some great times together.' On the night Bristow died, George was on Merseyside, working at Shooters Bar and Diner. The pair had 'a little catch-up and I got him a Guinness'. 'One of the best things I've ever seen' - Frank Lampard stunned as Coventry star hits 180 with first-ever three darts That night, George stayed in a Stoke pub run by Barry Birch, Bristow's former driver. And he was even looking at 'Eric's flat' less than 200 yards away when he learned the tragic news. George said: 'I couldn't believe the suddenness of his passing. 'Nor could I take in the fact that I could see his flat — the same flat he'd have left just a few hours earlier — as I was trying to take in the tragic news. 'What were the odds of it? Me being with him, saying goodbye, going to Stoke and looking out of a window at his flat whilst stood alongside his former driver? 'We both needed a stiff drink that night. They reckon Eric's heart must have stopped before he hit the ground as there was no blood. 'In his diary, apparently, he'd written he had got bad chest pains. "Bloody hell, if that was the case, why didn't he go to the doctors or hospital and get it sorted? 'Knowing Eric, he probably thought, 'I'll put loads of Guinness down my neck, that'll get rid of the pain'. 'Anyone who knew him was aware that he didn't exactly lead a healthy lifestyle. I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed." Bobby George on Eric Bristow 'For as long as I'd known him, he was a heavy smoker, always rolling his own. 'And he would think nothing of getting through 15 or 16 pints of Guinness in a day, rounding it all off with a curry. Nobody's body can handle that day in, day out. 'Always on the go, working and travelling, meant he was always pushing it. "Although it wasn't work to him, just a chance to get on the p*** every day. 'I like a drink and a smoke but there are extremes and Eric pushed them to the limit. 'I'd say, 'You smoke and you drink too much'. He said, 'I know all about that, Bob. But put it this way, no one is going to be pushing me around in a wheelchair. When I go, I'll go like that. Bang'. And he f***ing did as well, bang.' George first encountered the 'mouthy so-and-so' while playing in a BDO event at Margate in Kent. 4 Bobby George knew the late Eric Bristow when he was a teenager Credit: GETTY He said: 'After that we became good mates and he would do anything for me, anything.' As they toured the country, they 'would share prize money', but there were times when George thought 'we're going to get our heads kicked in' due to Bristow's OTT antics. On a US tour in 1978, the first time George went on a plane, Bristow enraged locals by pretending 'to wipe his a***' with the American Stars and Stripes flag 'before chucking it on the floor'. George said: 'The atmosphere had turned really toxic and I was worried that someone was going to do something really stupid, like pull a gun out on him. ''Watch yourself, Eric,' I whispered in his ear. 'These guys aren't messing about and they have guns over here!' 'I'd like to say that was an isolated incident but it wasn't. 'That's how he was, always getting into trouble. But somehow always managing to get himself out of it.' Still Here! The King of Bling, published by Pitch Publishing, is out now, £25.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'Dyslexia made me feel worthless at school - but it's been a superpower'
Successful businesswoman and author Maddy-Alexander Grout was reduced to tears as a schoolgirl struggling with dyslexia. Having put her shame behind her, Maddy now embraces her differences and is showing support for Jamie Oliver's important new campaign Much like Jamie Oliver, Maddy-Alexander Grout does not look back on her schooldays with much affection. Similarly to Jamie, Maddy had to navigate school life with dyslexia, which saw her unfairly labelled as "stupid" and "slow". Now 41, successful businesswoman and author Maddy has painful memories of crying during spelling tests, and remembers how, even though the words were potentially spelt correctly, "the letters were around the wrong way". Initially, Maddy's teacher believed her difficulties reading from the board were due to short-sightedness, and so she was given a pair of glasses she didn't even need. Maddy, from Southampton, laughingly admitted: "I fudged the test because I wanted to wear them." At the age of six, Maddy was diagnosed with dyslexia, a widely misunderstood learning difference that affects a person's reading, writing, and spelling abilities. As a creative child, Maddy loved drawing, painting and reading, and had a particular love of comics such as The Beano and The Dandy. However, visual learner Maddy found she read in a "different way" from her peers, reading quickly but then having to go back and re-read certain parts. Reading aloud in front of the class was also a nightmare. Maddy told the Mirror: "I used to get filled with absolute dread when the teacher at school used to make you stand up and read in front of the class. I'd always stumble over my words and repeat words or miss words out, and I used to get told off for it, and kind of ashamed." In his one-hour Channel 4 documentary, Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, the TV chef opens up about the challenges he faced as a pupil with dyslexia, pushing for early screenings and better neurodiversity awareness. Speaking with The Sunday Times, Jamie shared that making the doc had been the "most viscerally painful" thing he's ever done, reflecting: "I've seen so many high-flying, talented, grown men cry about this — I've just done it to you — the concept of being worthless (when you're) young is real. It's really triggering." This is something Maddy can relate to all too well. She shared: "I wasn't supported in the right way. I think with the right support, people who are divergent—and you know, that includes dyslexia—can really thrive. So what Jamie is doing to raise awareness is absolutely incredible. I can really relate to how he felt at school because there were times when I felt like that." Following her initial diagnosis, Maddy switched schools as she wasn't getting the help she so desperately needed. She liked her next teacher, who helped her to "thrive", but this was far from the end of her difficulties. In high school, Maddy received external support from an English coach, but didn't receive any extra exam time or other means of assistance now available for pupils who are dyslexic. Maddy recalled: "I remember this one English class being asked to read something from Romeo and Juliet, and I think I actually even got one of the main characters' names wrong. I think I called him something else that was not even in the book, and it was just like, 'Where did that come from? ' "But it was really hard, you know, imagine like standing up in front of 30 people, knowing that you're gonna get it wrong, like that's it, it's scarring, and it does stay with you as a child." Outside of academics, socialising was also a struggle. As a youngster, Maddy suffered the cruelties of being picked on, and also struggled when it came to making friends, "smothering" those she did get close to. At that time, Maddy hadn't yet been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition which often coexists with dyslexia. This common link is something that Maddy, who now works as an ADHD money and business coach, is keen to draw attention to. Looking back with a far better understanding of herself, Maddy now knows there was never anything wrong with her, aware that learning in a neurotypical setting was just a case of trying to "put a CD in a tape player". Considering what she'd say to her younger self, Maddy said: "Believe in yourself, you're not broken, you're just different." Although Maddy is comfortable in her own skin now, it's been a long journey to get there. From her early to late teens, Maddy felt "completely and utterly useless". Her ADHD also affected the way Maddy dealt with money, landing her in £40,000 worth of debt. She was thankfully able to pay this hefty sum off, using self-taught "tips and tricks", which she discusses in her ADHD-focused finance book, Mad About Money. Indeed, as well as accepting her differences, Maddy has learned to embrace them and is eager to show that there are many benefits to having dyslexia and ADHD, which aren't talked about enough. Highlighting how those with dyslexia can often be "really strategic thinkers" and excellent storytellers, Maddy remarked that "lots of dyslexic people go on to be really good entrepreneurs." Pointing at the prime example of Jamie, Maddy noted: "I mean, Jamie Oliver is an incredible entrepreneur. He's not just a chef, he's somebody who is actually going out there and telling his story and changing lives, and that's what I wanted to do with my book. "I think there is a common misconception that dyslexic people are not very clever when actually we are really clever, we just have different brains that process things in a different way." Jamie has spoken out about how entering the kitchen "saved" him, allowing him to carve a path for himself after feeling alienated by the traditional school system. For Maddy, this lifeline was public speaking, a talent which has allowed her to find her voice and speak up for others navigating similar journeys, through channels such as her Mad About Money podcast. Nowadays, Maddy is happy to "show up imperfectly" and encourages others to learn more about their brains so that they can show up as the person they're meant to be. She's also cautioned against shame, urging others to see the strengths in their "different operating systems " instead of flaws. Maddy is now mum to Ben, 10, and Harriet, 6, both of whom have dyslexia. Although she's seen improvements in how dyslexia is handled in modern schools, she believes there's still some way to go. Expressing her wishes for the future, Maddy continued: "I want there to be more education for children. Not just education for children who are dyslexic, but I'd like to see education for all children in school about what dyslexia actually is, so that they don't bully their friends, or they don't have negative conversations or call people stupid. "I want people to actually be talking about the positives about dyslexia as well because I think that's something that's not done enough. I think you need more people who have dyslexia who are successful at speaking in schools. I think that would be a really good thing to show people that you can achieve things and not to see yourself as negative." You can catch Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution on Channel 4 at 9 pm on June 9.
The Sun
12 hours ago
- The Sun
Amy Childs takes her engagement ring off after cancelling wedding to fiance and revealing reason behind weight loss
AMY Childs has been pictured without her engagement ring after cancelling her wedding. The Towie fan favourite - who has sparked concern over her recent weight loss - stepped out to run errands in Brentwood, Essex. 7 7 7 It's the first time she's been seen since opening up about her wedding heartbreak. Amy also spoke out blamed stress on her shrinking frame, having lost two stone. The 34-year-old pushed back plans to get married to Billy due to "last minute changes based on what's going on in their lives." Amy then revealed her mum Julie suffered a heart attack that rocked her family to its core. Speaking to OK! Magazine, Amy set the record straight, writing: "People don't know what is going on behind closed doors. 'I'm going through so much at the minute that the weight has fallen off me. I worry about my mum constantly. 'She's very emotional – she thinks she's going to have another heart attack. 'People think I'm not eating, but I do eat. To be honest, I do feel better when I'm a bit heavier than I am at the moment. 'There's so much going on at the minute – it's the result of pure stress." She also shut down speculation her drastic weight loss was down to taking fat jabs. Amy shares two of her four children with Billy, 42, who she first met in 2000. She referred to him as her "Prince Charming" after they set eyes on each other during lockdown. In 2023, the pair welcomed twins, Amelia and Billy, into the world after a "long and exhausting" labour - yet their marriage plans have taken a back seat. 7 7 7 Who is Amy Childs? Amy Childs was born June 7, 1990, and is a reality star, model, businesswoman and fashion designer. She shot to fame in 2010 by appearing in ITV2's reality TV show The Only Way Is Essex. She became known for her ditsy, likeable personality and briefly dated fellow cast member Kirk Norcoss. A particularly memorable scene involved her "vajazzling" Sam Faiers in a barbie pink-coloured salon. She left the show in 2011 and took part in Celebrity Big Brother, finishing fourth. She also took part in a fly-on-the-wall documentary, It's All About Amy on Channel 5. Two years later she competed in Channel 4's daredevil show The Jump and was the second person to be eliminated. She is now said to be worth around £5million through her fashion and beauty products.
