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 is a famous British chef, author, and TV star. She became well-known after winning the sixth series of the BBC show The Great British Bake Off in 2015. Since then, she has hosted many cooking shows and written popular books. Nadiya is also a regular writer for The Times newspaper.

In 2017, Nadiya was named one of the 500 most important people in the UK. She was also on the BBC News' 100 Women list. People say she has helped improve understanding between different communities in Britain.

Early Life and Growing Up

Nadiya Hussain was born in Luton, England. Her family came from Bangladesh. She has five brothers and sisters. Nadiya's dad was a chef and owned an Indian restaurant.

Nadiya started wearing a hijab when she was 14. She learned basic cooking skills at school. Her mother did not bake much, so Nadiya taught herself from recipe books and online videos. She loved a baking book by Irish writer Marian Keyes.

As a teenager, Nadiya was diagnosed with panic disorder, which means she had strong feelings of fear or worry. She got help for this and later wrote a book called My Monster and Me to help children with anxiety.

Before winning The Great British Bake Off, Nadiya was a full-time mum living in Leeds. She was also studying for a degree. After her big win, she and her family moved closer to London. This helped her follow her dream of a cooking career.

Becoming a TV Star

Winning The Great British Bake Off

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

When she won, Nadiya gave a powerful speech. She said she would never limit herself again. She promised to always believe in what she could do. More than 15 million people watched the final. This made it the most-watched TV show of 2015.

Nadiya's success helped change ideas about the Muslim community. Many people admired her. Even the Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, supported her.

Exploring Her Roots

In 2016, Nadiya hosted a two-part TV show called The Chronicles of Nadiya. In this show, she traveled to Bangladesh. She explored her family's cooking traditions. She visited her grandfather's village and cooked for people on a famous riverboat. She also helped a charity that gives meals to children. The show was very popular and was nominated for awards.

Later in 2016, Nadiya became a judge on Junior Bake Off. This show features young bakers aged nine to twelve. She took over from Mary Berry on the show.

British Food Adventures

From 2017, Nadiya presented Nadiya's British Food Adventure on BBC Two. In this series, she traveled around the UK. She met food producers and then used British ingredients in her own recipes. She often added a Bangladeshi twist to classic British dishes. For example, she made Masala eggy bread.

Nadiya also co-hosted The Big Family Cooking Showdown. After one series, she decided to focus on her own cooking shows.

More Cooking Shows

In July 2018, Nadiya's show Nadiya's Family Favourites started on BBC Two. In 2019, she presented Nadiya's Time to Eat. This show shared quick cooking tips and recipes to help families save time and money. It later became available on Netflix.

In 2020, Nadiya starred in Nadiya Bakes, which also aired on BBC Two and Netflix. She continues to create new cooking shows, like Nadiya's Simple Spices in 2023 and Nadiya's Cook Once, Eat Twice in 2024.

Other TV Appearances

Nadiya has appeared on many other TV shows. She has been a reporter for The One Show. She was also a guest presenter on Loose Women.

In 2016, Nadiya was asked to bake a special cake for Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday. She made an orange drizzle cake. Nadiya shared that her daughter thought she was baking for Mary Berry!

Nadiya has also been a guest on popular shows like Desert Island Discs and The Graham Norton Show.

Writing Books

Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Nadiya writes a monthly column for The Times Magazine. She is also a Contributing Editor for BBC's Good Food magazine. Her recipes have been featured in many other publications.

Becoming an Author

Nadiya has written several cookbooks. Her first book, Nadiya's Kitchen, shares recipes she cooks for her family and friends. She also released a cookbook to go with her TV series, Nadiya's British Food Adventure.

She has written children's books too. Bake Me A Story combines updated fairytales with fun, easy recipes for kids. For example, "Sleepless Beauty" needs a warm drink to break her curse. This book was nominated for Children's Book of the Year in 2017. She also released Nadiya's Bake Me a Festive Story.

In 2017, Nadiya released her first novel, The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters. Her autobiography, Finding My Voice, was published in 2019. It includes some of her recipes and poems. Her latest cookbook, Nadiya's Everyday Baking, was a bestseller in 2022.

Cooking Products

Homewares Collection

In 2018, Nadiya launched her own collection of kitchen and home items with BlissHome. This collection includes plates, spice racks, aprons, and tea towels. Her "Make Life Colourful Range" won an award in 2019 for best licensed homewares.

Spice Brand

In 2023, Nadiya worked with the spice company Schwartz. Together, they created nine new spice products, including recipe kits and seasonings.

Queen Elizabeth II's 90th Birthday Cake

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

Personal Life

Nadiya Hussain married Abdal Hussain in an arranged marriage when she was 20. They had only met once before. They renewed their vows in 2018. They have two sons, Musa and Dawud, and a daughter, Maryam. Nadiya has spoken about the challenges of an arranged marriage, but also how they worked through it together.

Nadiya is an ambassador for charities like Starlight Children's Foundation, which helps seriously ill children. She also supports WaterAid. She has spoken about her struggles with panic attacks and supports mental health awareness.

In 2020, Nadiya was awarded an MBE. This is a special honor given by the King for her work in broadcasting and cooking. In October 2024, Nadiya shared that she was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases. She talked about how important it is to take care of yourself.

Filmography

Television

Key

Denotes series that have not yet been released