Nadiya Hussain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nadiya Hussain MBE
Nadiya Hussain in 2019
Born	Nadiya Jamir Begum (1984-12-25) 25 December 1984 (age 40) Luton, Bedfordshire, England
Occupation	Television personality Presenter Newspaper columnist Author
Years active	2015–present
Employer	The Times BBC ITV
Television	The Great British Bake Off The Chronicles of Nadiya Junior Bake Off Nadiya's British Food Adventure The Big Family Cooking Showdown Nadiya's Family Favourites Nadiya Bakes Nadiya's Time To Eat
Spouse(s)	Abdal Hussain ​ (m. 2005)​
Children	3

Nadiya Jamir Hussain MBE (born 25 December 1984) is a famous British chef, author, and TV star. She became well-known after winning the sixth season of the BBC show The Great British Bake Off in 2015.

After winning, Nadiya started hosting her own TV shows. These include The Chronicles of Nadiya, Nadiya's British Food Adventure, and Nadiya's Family Favourites. She also co-hosted The Big Family Cooking Showdown and often appears on The One Show.

Nadiya writes a column for The Times Magazine and has written many books. She even baked a special cake for Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday! In 2017, she was named one of the 500 most influential people in the UK.

Nadiya's Early Life and Journey

Nadiya Hussain grew up in Luton, England. Her family is from Bangladesh. She has five brothers and sisters. Her father was a chef and owned an Indian restaurant.

When she was 14, Nadiya started wearing a hijab. She also dealt with panic disorder as a teenager. She has shared her experiences with mental health to help others.

Nadiya learned to cook at school, but her mother never baked. Nadiya taught herself baking by reading recipe books and watching videos online. She loved a baking book by Irish author Marian Keyes.

Before winning The Great British Bake Off, Nadiya was a full-time mum in Leeds. She lived there with her husband, who works in IT, and their three children. She was also studying for a degree. After her big win, her family moved closer to London so she could follow her dream of a cooking career.

Nadiya's TV Career

Winning The Great British Bake Off

Nadiya became famous when she won the sixth series of The Great British Bake Off in 2015. In the final, she made 16 iced buns, raspberry-flavoured mille-feuille, and a huge "My Big Fat British Wedding Cake."

When she won, Nadiya said: "I'm never gonna put boundaries on myself ever again. I'm never gonna say I can't do it. I'm never gonna say 'maybe'. I'm never gonna say, 'I don't think I can.' I can and I will."

More than 15 million people watched the final, making it the most-watched TV show of 2015. Her win helped change ideas about the Muslim community and showed the importance of cultural diversity. Many people became her fans, calling themselves "Nadiyators." Even the Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, supported her.

Exploring Roots: The Chronicles of Nadiya

In 2016, Nadiya hosted a two-part TV show called The Chronicles of Nadiya. In this show, she traveled to Bangladesh to explore her family's cooking traditions. She visited her grandfather's village and cooked for people on a famous paddle steamer. She also saw traditional otter fishing.

The show was very popular, with 4.5 million viewers for the first episode. It was even nominated for an award!

Judging Junior Bake Off

In November 2016, Nadiya became a judge on the fourth series of Junior Bake Off. This show is for children aged nine to twelve who compete to make the best cakes and treats. Nadiya took over from Mary Berry as a judge.

Nadiya's British Food Adventure

From July to September 2017, Nadiya presented Nadiya's British Food Adventure on BBC Two. In this eight-part series, Nadiya traveled around the UK. She met food producers and then used British ingredients to create new recipes with a Bangladeshi twist. For example, she made Masala eggy bread and aubergine pakoras with ketchup.

Nadiya also co-hosted The Big Family Cooking Showdown in 2017. She later left the show to focus on her own cooking programs.

Recent TV Shows

In July 2018, Nadiya's second cooking series, Nadiya's Family Favourites, aired on BBC Two. In 2019, she presented Nadiya's Time To Eat, which showed quick cooking tips and recipes to save time and money. This show is also available on Netflix.

In 2020, Nadiya starred in another eight-part series called Nadiya Bakes, which focused on baking.

Other Special Appearances

Nadiya has appeared as a reporter for The One Show and as a guest presenter on Loose Women.

She was chosen by Buckingham Palace to bake the Queen's 90th birthday cake. Nadiya made an orange drizzle cake with orange curd and orange buttercream. She said her sons were good at keeping the secret!

In 2016, Nadiya was a guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. She talked about being a young mother, how some Muslim women can feel alone, and how her confidence grew during Bake Off. She also spoke about dealing with unfair comments from people.

Nadiya has also been a guest on The Graham Norton Show and Would I Lie to You.

Nadiya's Writing Career

Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Nadiya is a contributing editor for BBC's Good Food magazine. She also writes a monthly column for The Times Magazine. Her recipes have been featured in Good Food magazine, The Guardian, and The Telegraph.

Books for All Ages

Nadiya has written several popular books. Her first book, Nadiya's Kitchen, is a collection of recipes she cooks for her family and friends. She also wrote a cookbook for her TV show, Nadiya's British Food Adventure.

Nadiya has written children's books too! Bake Me A Story combines updated fairytales with fun, kid-friendly recipes. For example, "Sleepless Beauty" needs a warm cup of hot chocolate to break her curse. This book was nominated for Children's Book of the Year in 2017. She also wrote Nadiya's Bake Me a Festive Story.

Her books, Nadiya's Kitchen and Bake Me A Story, were among the top-selling food and drink books in 2016.

In 2017, Nadiya released her first novel, The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters. It's a story about British Muslim sisters. Her autobiography, Finding My Voice, came out in 2019 and includes some of her recipes and poems.

Her cookbook Nadiya’s Everyday Baking was published in 2022 and became a bestseller.

Nadiya's Cookery and Products

Homewares Collection

In 2018, Nadiya launched her own collection of kitchen and home products with BlissHome. This collection includes plates, spice racks, candles, aprons, and tea towels. Her "Make Life Colourful Range" won an award in 2019 for being the 'Best Brand Licensed Homewares Product or Range'.

Spice Brand

In 2023, Nadiya partnered with Schwartz to create nine new spice products. These include recipe kits, mixes, and seasonings.

Baking for the Queen

Nadiya was asked by Buckingham Palace to bake the cake for Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday. She chose to bake an orange drizzle cake with orange curd and orange buttercream.

Nadiya's Personal Life

When she was 20, Nadiya married Abdal Hussain in an arranged marriage. They had only met once before their religious ceremony in Bangladesh. They officially registered their marriage in the UK in 2018. They have two sons, Musa and Dawud, and a daughter, Maryam. Nadiya has spoken about how challenging arranged marriages can be at first, but how they worked through it together.

Nadiya is an ambassador for the Starlight Children's Foundation, which helps seriously ill children. She also supports WaterAid, a charity that provides clean water. She has shown support for Armistice Day by wearing a special poppy headscarf. In 2018, she became an ambassador for Swarovski, focusing on female empowerment.

Nadiya has experienced panic attacks throughout her life. She shared a baking recipe for the YoungMinds mental health charity to support World Mental Health Day.

In 2020, Nadiya was given the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her work in broadcasting and cooking. In October 2024, Nadiya shared that she has been diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases. She stressed how important it is to take care of yourself.

Awards and Nominations

Filmography

Television

Key

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