Nadiya Hussain Confronts Race and Representation After BBC Show Cancellation
Nadiya Hussain, the British-Bangladeshi chef and former Great British Bake Off winner, has spoken out about the cancellation of her BBC cookery series, stating it forced her to confront uncomfortable truths about race and representation in the television industry. After a decade of making cooking shows for the BBC, Hussain says the decision not to recommission her programme last year left her shocked and reflective.
'Longevity Isn't Afforded to Everyone'
In a candid interview, Hussain expressed her desire to cook on television into old age, akin to Mary Berry, but acknowledged this dream feels unattainable due to racial barriers. 'I would like to have seen myself where Mary Berry is at 90 years old, still cooking on television, I would have loved that for myself,' said the 41-year-old. 'But that's a dream that I can't live up to because I'm not white.'
Hussain, a mother-of-three, noted the scarcity of Muslim female chefs on TV, attributing it to a lack of longevity in the industry. 'It's really hard to pick a few,' she explained. 'Because we don't have longevity. I can't even find another Muslim woman to equate myself to, or stand shoulder-to-shoulder with.'
Tokenism and Inclusivity in Television
The TV chef and cookery author described feeling like a token figure, suggesting that diversity efforts often have limits. 'It's hard not to feel like a token, because it's almost like we're allowed a certain amount of space, until that space no longer exists for us – when the box has been ticked,' Hussain said. 'There's this kind of show of, 'Look, we're inclusive', until we're not.'
Hussain has released her 11th cookbook, Nadiya's Quick Comforts, which celebrates fast, comforting dishes she prepares for her family. With her children moving out soon, she focuses on recipes that are both delicious and nostalgic. 'All they want is comfort food. All they want is yummy food that's delicious,' she shared.
A Wake-Up Call and Personal Growth
Entering a new era without a TV show has been daunting for Hussain. She revealed that the cancellation came without explanation, disrupting her routine of publishing a cookbook followed by a series. 'I'd gone into autopilot where I was like, 'I've got a book, of course I'm going to do a series', and when that was taken away from me, I didn't have a conversation with anyone,' she said.
Last year, Hussain published a Ramadan cookbook, merging faith and food for the first time. She believes this made her 'too much' for some audiences, leading to the show's cancellation. 'I thought, you know what, in that case, I have not been enough,' she reflected. This prompted her to dismiss her management and start anew, prioritising authenticity over commercial appeal.
Teaching Integrity to Her Children
Hussain views the experience as a wake-up call, emphasising the importance of integrity for her children, especially her daughter as a Muslim woman. 'What I'm trying to teach her is that being compliant and submissive is not the way you speak your truth,' she stated. 'You speak your mind, and it may make you less rich, but you will sleep at night.'
Since her Bake Off win in 2015, Hussain has undergone significant personal growth. 'You do a lot of self-reflection and growth in 11 years,' she noted. 'I've changed so much, and this and every year, I feel like more myself than I ever have.' She now embraces her culinary preferences unapologetically, such as deep-frying regularly, and encourages others to see food as a source of warmth and safety.
Embracing Comfort Food and Authenticity
In her new cookbook, Hussain features easy, family-friendly recipes like shawarma fries, frankfurter bacon sarnies, and an all-in-one-pan chicken roast. She advocates for stepping out of culinary comfort zones, exemplified by her savoury crumpet dish. 'We are so bound by rules and habit,' she said, 'but if you step out of your comfort zone, you actually do really wonderful things with simple ingredients.'
Desserts in the book include brown butter pecan coffee cake and croissant berry pudding slices. Hussain feels more comfortable being herself in her 40s, stating, 'I thought 30s was the decade. It's not, it's 40. I used to think 40 was really old, when I think back, but actually, I feel more alive now than I ever felt.' She remains optimistic about her future, even envisioning herself cooking at 90.
A BBC spokesperson commented: 'After many wonderful series, we made the difficult decision not to commission another cookery show with Nadiya Hussain for the time being. We remain open to working with her in the future.'
