Nadiya Hussain has said she cannot listen to The Great British Bake Off theme tune as it might trigger an anxiety attack. The 41-year-old, who won the BBC baking competition in 2015, told the i newspaper that hearing the start of the show reminds her of the “stress” of being on the programme.
Hussain described her time on Bake Off as “a beautiful rite of passage”, but added: “Watching it back stresses me out because I remember the anxiety I was feeling. I still can't listen to the theme tune from Bake Off. No I can't.” The TV star also revealed she has struggled with anxiety and panic attacks since being bullied as a child.
Her cooking programmes were dropped by the BBC last year, with Hussain saying she did not know why her contracts had not been renewed. Earlier this week, she said she felt pressured to become a “palatable version of a Muslim” in order to succeed in television, describing the industry as “broken”.
Last year, Hussain released Rooza: A Journey Through Islamic Cuisine, a tribute to Ramadan and Islamic food traditions. Shortly after publication, she revealed that the BBC had decided not to commission a television series based on the book and that she would not front a promotional programme for her subsequent title, Nadiya’s Quick Comforts.
Hussain also disclosed this week that she had to give up a job as a primary school teaching assistant after just three months because it “played havoc” with her health. In an emotional Instagram video, she explained that working in a school environment proved too much for her weakened immune system.
