Jamie Oliver reveals recent diagnoses in his "neurodiverse family" as he embarks on a mission to get better support
Jamie Oliver has been incredibly open about how his dyslexia has affected him throughout his life, especially during his education, and has consistently advocated for better support for neurodivergent children.
It seems, however, that the celebrity chef isn't the only member of his family to grow up with a learning difference, as he revealed that some of his children are in the same situation.
In a brand new interview with The Sunday Times, the 50-year-old shared that there have been various diagnoses of dyslexia, ADHD and ASD (also known as autism spectrum disorder) in his "very neurodiverse family" over the last year.
Though he did not go into any more detail than this, he said that he and his wife Jools have in fact "learned to understand that their [children's] behaviour is because they're seeing things differently," and that "being aware of that allows you to be a better parent".
Jamie also called his family life "amazing but bonkers", joking: "Imagine four neurodiverse people at the dinner table trying to get their point across."
He further rebuked the attitudes taken towards neurodivergence by older generations, saying: "Older people tend to have the 'we didn't have that when we were young' attitude. We just didn't know as much about our brains 30 years ago."
The celebrity chef has been working on an hour-long documentary for Channel 4 called Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, which will explore the challenges facing dyslexic children and interrogate what the British government can change to support them within education.
Jamie also opened up about the emotional toll that making the documentary took on him, telling the publication: "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 [referring to his crying during the interview] – the concept of being worthless [when you're] young is real. It's really triggering."
Though the father-of-five has been vocal and open about his struggle with the learning difficulty, especially during his school days, for a long time, he only received his official diagnosis in January of this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
World Craft status for city's jewellery trade
Birmingham's global influence in jewellery making has been recognised by being granted World Craft City Status. World Crafts Council President, Saad Al-Qaddumi, said the title celebrated the city's "rich heritage, skilled artisans, creative designers, proud makers, and innovative contributions to the jewellery industry." Only eight other cities in Europe have been awarded the title. This includes Stoke-on-Trent which was awarded the status last year for its pottery craft. The Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) said the award "signifies a landmark moment for Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, placing the city's historic Jewellery Quarter firmly on the global stage." Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter sits close to the city centre and has been a manufacturing centre for more than 200 years. Shops only started to appear in the 1970s when manufacturers decided to sell to individual customers. To get the status, an international judging panel visited the School of Jewellery, established in 1890 and situated in a Grade II-listed building on Vittoria Street, where they took part in a silversmithing workshop and viewed the artistry and craftsmanship of current students. Elsewhere in the Jewellery Quarter, judges stopped at the Birmingham Assay Office, Cooksongold, and the historic Coffin Works. Birmingham's bid was led by JQDT and Birmingham City Council, while being supported by Birmingham City Council and the Goldsmiths Company. Matthew Bott, the chair of JQDT, said: "This is a moment of real pride - not just for the Jewellery Quarter, but for Birmingham and the West Midlands. "We've always known the value of what happens here, and now the world does too. Our thanks go to everyone who helped us reach this point, and we look forward to working with partners old and new to build on this incredible foundation." With the designation now confirmed, the JQDT, supported by city curator Alex Nicholson-Evans, says it will use this recognition as a springboard for further ambition, starting with launching the Birmingham Jewellery Biennial, the UK's jewellery festival. Envisaged as a citywide celebration, plans for the biennial include open studios, jewellery fairs, heritage tours, a trade conference and a flagship exhibition - shining a spotlight on internationally acclaimed artists and emerging talent, selected through a UK-wide open call. JQDT also says the new status opens the door to international partnerships, funding opportunities and collaborative projects - for the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, and the West Midlands. A spokesperson for JQDT said: "With both the Jewellery Quarter and Stoke-on-Trent now recognised as World Craft Cities, the West Midlands is fast becoming a national leader in championing craft as culture. " Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Jewellery students want to save 'dying art' Pottery city wins global recognition for craft JQDT World Crafts Council Birmingham City Council Birmingham Jewellery Biennial
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
More than a dozen swimming baths extension bids received by council
More than a dozen tenders to build an extension to the Wavelengths swimming pool and leisure centre in Nelson have been received by Pendle Council. The project will be funded by the £25 million Nelson Town Deal, and 14 tenders of between £473,000 and £934,000 have been received and accepted by the council, according to a new report. Now, a decision needs to be made on which business – or businesses – will win the contract. Leading councillors on Pendle's executive looked at bids this week, and a decision on a contractor is due soon. Wavelengths is one of a number of council-owned leisure centres operated by the arms-length body Pendle Leisure Trust on behalf of the borough council. The future of leisure centres has been a topic of debate over recent years, with rising energy costs, building maintenance, and squeezed council budgets all having an impact. At one point, a consultant's review suggested closing one of the three main leisure centres, but that was later rejected after the Liberal Democrats and Independents took shared political control of the borough. Last summer, Pendle Council's executive backed a plan to invest in Wavelengths and was told extended facilities, including gym and fitness features, could boost the overall number of visits by more than 100,000. Increased customer use and payment would be needed to reach financial savings, which cannot be achieved through energy efficiencies alone, councillors were told. Furthermore, an expanded Wavelengths could assist the wider regeneration of Nelson town centre, which includes knocking down and redeveloping Pendle Rise shopping centre. Wavelengths could provide vital extra revenue to counterbalance the council's financial pressures elsewhere, councillors said. Last summer, Lib Dem Councillor David Whipp had said he wanted the Wavelengths spending decision delayed until September, when a review of all three leisure centres at Nelson, Colne, and Barnoldswick was due. But, most other councillors disagreed and said time was marching on with the Nelson Town Deal. Cllr Whipp also warned of a potential falling out between communities if one town was seen as getting more investment than another. However, other councillors said Colne was getting significant investment too with Levelling-Up funding for the Muni Theatre, other theatre spaces and Colne Market Hall. Pendle Council was also granted a £1.7 million public building de-carbonisation grant for West Craven Sports Centre in Barnoldswick and Wavelengths in Nelson, separately from the Town Deal. Existing gas-fired boilers, which supply heating and hot water,r will be replaced with air source heat pumps and windows will be upgraded. The council said it has provided an additional £900,000, bringing the total investment in the two leisure centres to £2.6 million.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Missing teen struggled with his mental health, says brother
A missing teenager had been struggling with his mental health "for a while", his brother has said. Cole Cooper, 19, hasn't been heard from since he went on a night out with friends in Falkirk on 3 May. His older brother Connor told BBC Newsbeat that Cole had experienced suicidal thoughts and depression before his disappearance. Connor, 22, said his family had tried to offer support but it had been rejected. "That's the difficult bit for me as his brother," Connor said. "Just because I'm preparing for the worst, and I just wish he would take that help that we offered." Cole was officially reported missing on Friday 9 May, and the last-known CCTV footage of him was recorded on the morning of 4 May. Connor said it had been suggested to him that Cole might have taken "time out" for his mental health, but he didn't feel that explained his brother's long absence. "It didn't sit right with me," he said. "I can get that if you're in that state of mind you might want to escape reality. "But four weeks down the line is where it gets a lot more concerning." Police Scotland said Cole had not used his phone or bank cards in the time he'd been missing - something Connor said he found particularly worrying. A witness, who told police they knew Cole, reported seeing him on 7 May in Longcroft, near his home village of Banknock. Connor says he has questions about the sighting. "We've not got footage to back it up," said Connor. "As well as that, I just don't believe you go missing, pop up three or four days later and go missing again." Officers have visited more than 200 homes and obtained more than 1,000 hours of CCTV footage. Search teams, helicopters, drones and divers have also searched the local area. Cole's family have carried out their own searches, with one taking place on Sunday. "Your mind plays tricks on you at times when you're out looking," Connor said. "Because you're looking back and going 'did I see something or not?'. "You get that bad feeling in your stomach. "You're needing to mentally prepare yourself, not just coming across maybe a phone or his wallet, but you're preparing yourself going into these areas thinking, 'could we find Cole?'." Connor said the community searches have looked in canal areas, woodland and fields. He said the past month had been "hell" for Cole's family and friends. "It's brutal. I wouldn't wish this on anyone," he said. 3 May: Cole was on a night out with friends. 4 May: He was captured on CCTV multiple times around Nisbet Drive, Longcroft Road and Hogan Path in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was seen approaching the door of his father's house at 05:49 before leaving four minutes later. The last CCTV footage of Cole was at 06:00 on Cumbernauld Road. Police 'increasingly concerned' for missing Cole Cooper Family and friends lead search for missing Falkirk teenager 7 May: A witness said they saw Cole at around 20:45 on the A803 at the Intersection with Cumbernauld Road, Longcroft. Cole had been living in Falkirk and is known to have links to the Denny, Cumbernauld and Paisley areas. Police say any information, including photographs, CCTV or dashcam footage, should be sent to them through an online portal. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story sources of help can be found via BBC Action Line. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
