Nadiya Hussain, winner of The Great British Bake Off over ten years ago, has shared that hearing the show’s theme song can now cause her to have anxiety attacks.
Oh my gosh, even though winning the show back in 2015 was how she started everything, she actually told me that whenever she hears that theme song, it instantly brings her right back to all the pressure she felt while baking in that tent! It’s so crazy to think about, but she’s totally honest about how stressful it was, even though she won!
Nadiya recently criticized the BBC’s decision to end their working relationship after ten years of collaborating on cooking programs, suggesting that her Muslim faith played a role in the decision.
The celebrity chef recently shared that while continuing to release cookbooks, she also began working as a teaching assistant. Unfortunately, she had to stop this role due to health issues.
Nadiya recently revealed she’s dealt with anxiety and panic attacks since childhood, stemming from being severely bullied at school.
The star also brushed off the idea that she went on a ‘journey’ during her time on Bake Off.
She explained to The i newspaper that she didn’t understand what was happening at the time and didn’t recognize it as a significant life change until later.
She called her experience on the show a ‘wonderful learning curve,’ but admitted revisiting it is difficult. Remembering how anxious she felt during filming still bothers her, and she even avoids listening to the show’s theme song.
According to sources who spoke to Daily Mail, the BBC decided to let Nadiya go because her popularity had decreased, her recipes felt outdated, and she had become difficult to collaborate with. This decision came eleven years after she won The Great British Bake Off.
A former contestant on The Great British Bake Off has stated she believes the BBC decided not to renew her shows – after more than ten years – because of her Muslim faith.
Nadiya recently shared in a podcast that she’s still unsure why the BBC stopped having her on air in June, after a decade of appearances. Despite asking, she hasn’t received a clear explanation from BBC executives.
In a recent interview, Nadiya stated firmly that she believes her Muslim background contributed to the challenges she faced. She feels she experienced racism within the television industry, and suggests her religious beliefs caused some people discomfort.
She realized she had changed after writing this particular book. Previously, her cookbooks were meant for everyone, but this new one didn’t feel welcoming to all readers.
According to BBC sources, Nadiya’s suggestion that her religion played a significant role in the decision to stop working with her is inaccurate. They state the 41-year-old had a successful and lengthy relationship with the broadcaster that simply concluded naturally.
According to a source, Nadiya had a successful run with the BBC, having hosted shows across its channels for ten years – a rare achievement for a chef.
The BBC is always working to improve its food shows and introduce fresh faces, and now feels like the perfect moment to highlight some new presenters.
Regarding Nadiya’s suggestion that her Muslim background played a role in her departure, a source said that claim is completely untrue.
Considering all the shows she’s already done for the BBC – like ‘The Chronicles of Nadiya’ and ‘Nadiya’s Asian Odyssey’ – it’s hard to argue that they haven’t supported her and her background.
According to a source at the Daily Mail, some people in the entertainment industry feel Nadiya’s popularity has decreased since she won The Great British Bake Off in 2015, and she hasn’t built on that success as much as expected.
They also claim her recipes didn’t excite viewers, amid rumours she became harder to work with.
The source said: ‘Nadiya was a major star when she won Bake Off and big things were predicted.
‘She landed shows on BBC, book deals and other endorsements, so she did well.
While she hasn’t quite reached the next stage in her career, and it’s been over a decade since her Bake Off win, she now faces competition from a new generation of bakers.
‘Their recipes will naturally seem more exciting than Nadiya’s, which feel tired in comparison.
As she’s become more famous, she’s also become increasingly difficult to work with, which explains why the BBC decided to end their collaboration.
The source added: ‘It sounds all rather bitter linking her BBC axing to her religion.’
After being removed from a program and publicly discussing issues of race on television, it seems Nadiya’s relationship with the BBC is over, even though the BBC stated she is still considered an important member of their team when announcing they wouldn’t be commissioning any further shows with her.
After the BBC ended their working relationship with her, Nadiya unexpectedly changed careers and began working at a local elementary school.
However, only a few weeks into the job, she had to resign and shared the sad news in a heartfelt post on Instagram.
Wiping her eyes, she began, ‘Hey everyone, I want to share what’s been going on with me, even if you weren’t expecting an update.’
Okay, so everyone knows the BBC dropped my show, right? Honestly, it completely threw me. I was totally lost, like, what was I even supposed to do with my life after that? It felt like everything just stopped, and I had no idea which way to turn. I was at a total crossroads, seriously.
I spent a lot of time brainstorming different ideas for what to do next. I considered everything from starting a pop-up restaurant to a small catering kitchen, but honestly, none of those options really felt right for me at the time. It just didn’t spark joy, you know?
I’m continuing to publish books, especially cookbooks which I’m very passionate about, but I was hesitant and honestly afraid to start looking for other jobs.
She explained how she ended up working at the school, saying, ‘I’ve always been passionate about working with young children as a teaching assistant, and even applying for jobs was a challenge for many reasons.’
I worked as a teaching assistant at a primary school, and honestly, it was one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had – second only to raising my own children.
Waking up each morning and caring for those wonderful children was truly a joy. I genuinely loved every moment of it.
Unfortunately, working that kind of job really damaged my health because my immune system wasn’t strong.
Whether Nadiya received payment for her teaching assistant role is unclear, but a job advertisement in the school’s January newsletter stated the position paid £20,000.
Read More
- Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke Community Event for March 2026: Details, How to Progress, Rewards and more
- Jason Statham’s Action Movie Flop Becomes Instant Netflix Hit In The United States
- Kylie Jenner squirms at ‘awkward’ BAFTA host Alan Cummings’ innuendo-packed joke about ‘getting her gums around a Jammie Dodger’ while dishing out ‘very British snacks’
- Brawl Stars February 2026 Brawl Talk: 100th Brawler, New Game Modes, Buffies, Trophy System, Skins, and more
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Hailey Bieber talks motherhood, baby Jack, and future kids with Justin Bieber
- eFootball 2026 Jürgen Klopp Manager Guide: Best formations, instructions, and tactics
- MLBB x KOF Encore 2026: List of bingo patterns
- Magic Chess: Go Go Season 5 introduces new GOGO MOBA and Go Go Plaza modes, a cooking mini-game, synergies, and more
- Brent Oil Forecast
2026-02-27 04:53