2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
BBC will not be renewing celebrity chef Nadiya Hussain's cooking shows
BBC has discontinued its relationship with British celebrity chef and author Nadiya Hussain's after 10 years.
Since winning the sixth season of the British broadcaster's The Great British Bake Off (2010 to present) in 2015, she has helmed several television shows for BBC, including Nadiya's Simple Spices (2023), Nadiya Bakes (2020), Nadiya's Family Favourites (2018) and Nadiya's British Food Adventure (2017).
In a video uploaded on Instagram on June 5, the 40-year-old Muslim called the development a 'huge turning point' for her, saying: 'It was huge because I was already on this steady trajectory of change and I was thinking of where I want my career to go. And BBC decided that they didn't want to commission the show anymore, it really did kind of solidify everything for me, and it really made me kind of dig in my heels and think.'
She added: 'It's been a huge change for me, but one that I am really excited about. One that I want to move in a positive direction. And ultimately I want to work with people who believe in the voices of people like me.'
A BBC spokesperson confirmed the news, saying in a statement: 'After several wonderful series, we have made the difficult decision not to commission another cookery show with Nadiya Hussain at the moment.
'Nadiya remains a much-valued part of the BBC family, and we look forward to working together on future projects.'
On top of being a presenter on her slew of food shows, Hussain was signed by publisher Penguin Michael Joseph for her first cookbook, Nadiya's Kitchen (2016). She also authored Bake Me A Story (2016), a compilation of 15 stories and recipes for children, which was subsequently shortlisted for Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2017.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
