Jamie Oliver opens up on his 'very neurodiverse family' as he reveals that understanding how their children see things differently allows him and wife Jools to be 'better parents'
The celebrity chef, 50, recently detailed his own emotional toll of struggling with dyslexia ahead of his new hour-long Channel 4 special, titled Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution.
And in a new interview, Jamie has told how he navigates his 'bonkers family' with Jools, 50, and their children, amid diagnoses of dyslexia, ADHD and ASD (autism spectrum disorder) in the past year.
The TV star shares daughters Poppy, 23, Daisy, 22, and Petal, 16, and sons Buddy, 14, and River, eight, with his former model spouse, with the eldest two having flown the nest.
Though not revealing details on who was diagnosed, Jamie revealed to The Sunday Times Magazine that he and Jools discuss their children in bed every night and have 'learnt to understand that their behaviour is because they're seeing things differently'.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
He added that being aware of their children's differences 'allows you to be a better parent'.
Neurodivergent is a term that describes people whose brains function differently, encompassing conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia.
And amid the conditions affecting many members of his family, Jamie went on to joke that home life is 'bonkers', remarking: 'Imagine four neurodiverse people at the dinner table trying to get their point across.'
Jamie also went on to say that he feels attitudes towards neurodivergence are generational, noting that 'older people' tend to reflect on not having these issues 'when they were young',
However, the father-of-five counters that people 'didn't know as much about our brains 30 years ago'.
It comes as Jamie recalled being branded a 'stupid dunce' at school and said his learning issues left him feeling 'worthless, stupid and thick'.
Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that causes problems with reading, writing and spelling and difficulties with processing.
Ahead of his documentary release, he told The Sunday Times: 'I'm unpacking quite a lot of stuff and I'm oversharing with you because I've got to f***ing work this s**t out, I thought I'd buried it but it's hitting a nerve.
'I didn't have any extra time in exams, there were no strategies, just a bit of extra tutoring help,' he revealed. 'There was no robust dyslexic knowledge then.'
The Essex-born chef, now a household name thanks to The Naked Chef, said the kitchen 'saved' him and gave him purpose when the classroom let him down.
He added: '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. I knew I wasn't a useless piece of s***.'
The NHS says dyslexia affects up to one in ten Brits, often causing trouble with reading, writing and spelling. But many, like Jamie, excel in other areas such as problem-solving and creativity.
Jamie is using his platform to call for urgent changes in schools, including early dyslexia screening and more teacher training in neurodiversity.
He said: '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.'
His hard-hitting documentary, airing soon on Channel 4, will question whether the UK education system is doing enough to support children with dyslexia - and if not, what needs to change.
Jamie has already met with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and says this campaign is even tougher than his famous fight for healthier school dinners.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Family welcome inquest into death of boy sent home from A&E
The family of a five-year-old boy who died after he was sent home from A&E say they are 'getting closer and closer to the truth' after an inquest into his death was opened. Yusuf Mahmud Nazir died at Sheffield Children's Hospital on November 23 2022, eight days after he was seen at Rotherham Hospital and sent home with antibiotics. Last month, after a second report into Yusuf's care was published by NHS England, his family called for an inquest into his death, saying there were still many unanswered questions. On Thursday, an inquest was opened and adjourned by Sheffield's Senior Coroner Tanyka Rawden. Speaking after the five minute-long hearing, Yusuf's uncle Zaheer Ahmed said: 'It's been a very long journey for us and we really appreciate the fact that the coroner has listened to us on our first approach and given us the inquest we want. 'And it will give us more answers about how Yusuf died, which is what we're wanting. 'It's been a tough fight to get here, but we're getting closer and closer to the truth.' The coroner adjourned the inquest to a case management hearing on January 30 2026 but said the full hearing will be later than this. Mr Ahmed said: 'We don't mind how long it takes as long as everything gets looked at properly and thoroughly and we get the answers that we need. 'We don't want it to be rushed. We don't want any opportunities to be missed.' He said: 'It was actually Yusuf's birthday yesterday. He would have been eight years old today.' Mr Ahmed has always said they were told 'there are no beds and not enough doctors' in the emergency department, and that Yusuf should have been admitted and given intravenous antibiotics in Rotherham. Yusuf, who had asthma, was taken to a GP with a sore throat and feeling unwell on November 15. He was prescribed antibiotics by an advanced nurse practitioner. Later that evening, his parents took him to Rotherham Hospital urgent and emergency care centre (UECC) where he was seen in the early hours of the morning after a six-hour wait. He was discharged with a diagnosis of severe tonsillitis and an extended prescription of antibiotics. Two days later Yusuf was given further antibiotics by his GP for a possible chest infection, but his family became so concerned they called an ambulance and insisted the paramedics take him to Sheffield Children's Hospital rather than Rotherham. Yusuf was admitted to the intensive care unit on November 21 but developed multi-organ failure and suffered several cardiac arrests which he did not survive. The new report published in July included a range of recommendations for the NHS. It concluded: 'Our primary finding is that the parental concerns, particularly the mother's instinct that her child was unwell, were repeatedly not addressed across services.' Speaking at a press conference in Rotherham in July, Yusuf's mother, Soniya Ahmed, said: 'For the medical staff there are lessons to be learnt from this tragedy, but for us, our life, Yusuf has been taken away from us in the most horrific way. 'Every night when I close my eyes I hear Yusuf's helpless voice in my ears saying, 'Mummy, I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I really can't'.' Ms Ahmed choked back tears as she said: 'We want to know how our son has died and who is responsible, and the only way we will get these answers is with an inquest. The family demand an inquest.' The new report by Peter Carter, former general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said Yusuf had 23 separate healthcare contacts across four organisations 'with no single, co-ordinated record or oversight, contributing to fragmented and disjointed care'. The family said they were most surprised by the report's findings in relation to Sheffield Children's Hospital, including that it used an outdated cannula method which deprived Yusuf of drugs he needed. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said last month: 'There are no excuses for the tragic failings in the lead-up to Yusuf's death and I know first-hand how hard it has been for his family to live without the answers they deserve.'
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Love Islander Samie Elishi puts on a sizzling display in an olive green crochet bikini as she models for PrettyLittleThing
Samie Elishi put on a sizzling display in an olive green crochet bikini as she modelled for PrettyLittleThing. The Love Island star, 25, has recently signed a a deal with the clothing brand to model their pieces in her social media posts. Samie posed up a storm for a photoshoot by the pool on a scorching hot August afternoon. The reality star was glowing as she displayed her toned abs in a skimpy green crocheted two-piece. Samie paired the bikini with matching low-rise beachwear trousers with her brunette locks styled in voluminous waves. Elsewhere Samie also modelled PLT Label casual, sporting a navy satin co-ord consisting of a half-zip sweater and wide-leg trousers. It comes after Samie set pulses racing in a bright blue bikini as she jetted off to Mykonos for a trip with NARS last month. She took to Instagram to share a clip as she got ready for the sun by applying Kopari Rose Gold sunscreen. In the clip, Samie looked radiant as she showed off her sensational figure in the cobalt My Outfit Online two-piece, which featured low-rise briefs and a sporty halterneck bikini top. Samie's brunette locks were in tight curls ahead of her beach day as she smiled for the camera while applying her sunscreen. The reality star was joined by fellow former Love Islander Sophie Piper on the trip to Greece. Earlier this month, Samie showed ex Sam Thompson what he's missing as she posed for sultry bikini snaps while in Bali. She flaunted her jaw-dropping figure in a colourful skimpy two-piece during her Bali getaway. Samie had a matching cover-up on her daybed while sunbathing and accessorised with stylish sunglasses. The influencer went make-up free for the Instagram pictures, which saw her sprawled out on all fours. In June, a source revealed the pair had ended their two-month romance after things 'fizzled out' between them. It comes after Samie confessed she 'loves Bali' just days after Molly-Mae's sister was mocked for leaving the island after just 48 hours due to being disappointed. Zoe, 28, has been slammed by her followers this last week after she confessed Bali did not meet her expectations and so fled to Dubai instead after just two days. The fitness enthusiast travelled to the Indonesian country to celebrate her one-year anniversary with her husband Danny. But despite staying in a huge sea view room at a 5-star Radisson Blu, 'something wasn't quite right' and so she fled her resort. And it appeared that Samie has taken a subtle swipe at the star as she showed her support for the developing region during her holiday. As her wine glass was being topped up, Samie posted a snap of herself to her Instagram Stories with the caption. 'Cheers bbys, I luv Bali'. When Zoe explained the reasoning behind her departure, she claimed that Bali looks better on social media than in real life, as influencers make it look luxurious, despite it being a developing country. In a new YouTube video, Zoe told the camera: 'Since landing in Bali, something for us wasn't quite right. 'We came here with high expectations because we had seen on social media that everyone was having such a lovely time. Lovely places to eat and beaches, and lovely gyms and coffee shops. 'But I don't think the reality of Bali is shown much at all, and I do think it is down to a lot of influencers posting the more luxury side of things.'
The Sun
26 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘Anti-vax' mum ‘interrupted' paramedics trying to save dying daughter- claiming heart attack was her ‘choking on food'
THE mum of a young model who died after refusing chemotherapy for cancer "presented a challenge" to paramedics trying to save her daughter's life. Paloma Shemirani, 23, from Uckfield, East Sussex, was diagnosed at Maidstone Hospital with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2023. 7 7 7 She died seven months later in July 2024 after seeking only "alternative" treatments, which included green juices and coffee enemas. Her mum, Kay 'Kate' Shemirani is a former nurse, struck off in 2021 for spreading anti-medicine and anti-vaccine Covid-19 misinformation. She has, in public, expressed views against chemotherapy, by calling the treatment dangerous and toxic - which she has since said is "not true" at an ongoing inquest into Paloma's death. When Paloma collapsed at her mother's home on July 19 paramedic Robin Bass said Kate "presented a challenge as she kept interrupting while the crews were carrying out care", the BBC reports. He told the coroner that Kate mentioned a mass on her daughter's chest. When Robin told colleagues it could be cancer, he said Kate denied it was. Instead, Kate said Paloma was choking on food. Paloma, a Cambridge graduate and a Miss Universe Great Britain 2021 finalist, then died just five days later at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton after suffering a heart attack caused by her tumour. Dr Peter Anderson, who saw her when paramedics brought her in, previously told the inquest a large mass in her chest and neck. He said the mass was compressing her airways and affecting major blood vessels, could have caused the cardiac arrest. A safeguarding report was later requested over concerns about Paloma's rejection of cancer treatment and the "possible influence" of her mother. Benjamin Zand interviews Kate Shemirani for new QAnon documentary The Cult of Conspiracy Paloma's twin brother, Gabriel, who blames her death on his mother's conspiratorial beliefs, previously told the inquest that when Paloma was first diagnosed she was considering chemotherapy. She only rejected the treatment, which she was told would give her an 80 per cent chance of recovery, when her parents started to pressure her against it, he claimed. "I blame my mother entirely for my sister's death", he said, by "obstructing" his sister from receiving treatment. The former nurse said she would have supported her daughter 'physically and financially' whatever her decision on receiving treatment. Alison Hewitt, counsel at the inquest, asked Kate last week: 'It is the case, isn't it, that you have expressed publicly views which are contrary to chemotherapy... you consider chemotherapy is a dangerous and toxic process and one that you wouldn't advise someone suffering cancer undergoes?' At the time, Kate branded the question 'slanderous' and 'not true', adding: 'In all my public appearances I say people should get all the information and then decide.' 7 7 When pushed on whether she had described chemotherapy as mustard gas, she replied: 'This is not relevant. You're making slanderous accusations. People should be able to choose.' Earlier in the hearing, when describing the months before her daughter's death, Kate said Paloma had chosen treatment which included nutrition, juices and spiritual support. Gabriel asked if she had made the paramedics' job more difficult that night. Robin said: "I believe we had to be quite firm at some points… had to ask for quiet while administering care to your sister." The coroner previously heard that Kate, who was involved in Paloma's "alternative treatment" called her friend before calling an ambulance the day her daughter collapsed. Gabriel asked another paramedic at the inquest, who also treated Paloma, if his mum's delay in calling an ambulance affected her chance of survival. "It's difficult to say," said Karen Clarke, a critical care paramedic. "You always recommend someone calling 999 straight away." Gabriel asked Karen if she would have called a friend first, she replied she would have called an ambulance first. Kate has previously accused doctors and paramedics of killing Paloma. 7 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, as recommended by the NHS Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is usually treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, although some people may not need treatment straight away. In a few cases, if the initial cancer is very small and can be removed during a biopsy, no further treatment may be needed. If non-Hodgkin lymphoma is low grade (slow developing) and a person is well, a period of "watch and wait" is often recommended. This is because some people take many years to develop troublesome symptoms and starting treatment immediately is often felt to be unnecessary. But in other cases, chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells. If non-Hodgkin lymphoma doesn't get better with initial treatment (known as refractory lymphoma), you may have a course of chemotherapy at a stronger dose. But this intensive chemotherapy destroys your bone marrow, and can lead to the following side effects: nausea and vomiting diarrhoea loss of appetite mouth ulcers tiredness skin rashes hair loss infertility, which may be temporary or permanent A stem cell or bone marrow transplant is then needed to replace the damaged bone marrow. Radiotherapy is most often used to treat early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, where the cancer is only in one part of the body. And for some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you may have a type of medicine called a monoclonal antibody. These medicines attach themselves to both healthy and cancerous cells, and signal to the immune system to attack and kill the cells. Other potential non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatments include: Cancer growth blockers Steroid medicine Immunotherapy Source: NHS
