The truth about Nadiya Hussain’s BBC sacking: Bake Off chef’s star had waned, her recipes became tired – and she became ‘difficult to work with’, say TV insiders

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I was so shocked to hear that Nadiya Hussain is leaving the BBC. Apparently, people inside the company felt her popularity had started to dip, her recipes weren’t as fresh as they used to be, and she was becoming difficult to collaborate with. It’s really sad to hear, as I’ve always been a huge fan of hers!

A former contestant on The Great British Bake Off has stated that she believes her Muslim faith played a role in the BBC’s choice not to continue with her shows after more than ten years.

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. She says she never received a clear explanation from the network’s management.

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 to feel uneasy.

She realized she had changed. Previously, her cookbooks were aimed at a wide audience, but this new book felt different – it didn’t feel like it welcomed everyone.

According to BBC sources, Nadiya’s suggestion that her religion played a significant role in the decision not to renew her contract is inaccurate. They state she had a successful and lengthy relationship with the BBC that simply concluded naturally.

As a big fan, I always thought Nadiya did brilliantly at the BBC. It’s amazing to think she hosted shows across so many channels for a whole decade – not many chefs get that kind of run!

The BBC is always looking to improve its food shows and introduce fresh faces, and now feels like the perfect moment to highlight new on-screen talent.

Regarding Nadiya’s suggestion that her Muslim background played a role in the decision to let her go, 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 background and heritage.

According to a source close to the entertainment industry who spoke with The Daily Mail, some people 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 rumors 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.

Although she won Bake Off over ten years ago, she hasn’t quite reached the next stage in her career. With new bakers emerging, she now faces increased competition.

‘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.’

The BBC is highlighting two rising culinary stars: Lorna McNee, a Scottish chef and past winner of Great British Menu who now judges the competition, and Alex Greene, from Northern Ireland, who also competed on Great British Menu and now hosts shows for the BBC.

Nadiya earned similar backing from the Beeb following her Bake Off victory.

After Nadiya Hussain was removed from a program and publicly discussed issues of ‘whiteness’ on television, it seems the BBC has ended its working relationship with her. This is despite a BBC statement claiming she is still considered an important part of the organization, even though they are not currently planning any further shows with her.

Following her departure from the BBC, Nadiya unexpectedly changed careers and began working at a local elementary school.

However, just a few weeks into the job, she had to resign and shared the difficult news in a heartfelt post on Instagram.

With tears in her eyes, she began, ‘Hey everyone, I’m sharing a personal update – whether you wanted to hear it or not!’

As many of you know, when the BBC decided to cancel my show, it really threw me for a loop. I honestly didn’t know what direction to take next, or even what I wanted to do with my career. It was a tough time, figuring things out.

I considered many different ideas, including starting a temporary restaurant or kitchen, but none of them felt right for me at the time.

I’m still writing and publishing cookbooks – I’ll always have a passion for them! But honestly, applying for other jobs was something I really hesitated to do. I was truly scared to put myself out there, and it took a lot of courage to even try.

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. Applying for jobs was challenging for many reasons, but I persevered.’

I worked as a teaching assistant at a primary school, and 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 brought me so much joy. I truly loved every moment of that job.

Unfortunately, working that kind of job really damaged my health because I have a weakened immune system.

Whether Nadiya received payment for her teaching assistant role isn’t clear, but a job advertisement in the school’s January newsletter stated the position paid £20,000.

Recent financial reports show the author’s business is now worth nearly £2 million, driven by strong book sales.

It’s likely they’ll continue to be her biggest earner for the foreseeable future.

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2026-02-26 04:12