Nadiya Hussain Opens Up About Bake Off Anxiety and Career Changes
Great British Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussain has candidly revealed that watching the popular baking competition "stresses her out" and that she cannot listen to its iconic theme tune due to the intense anxiety she experienced while competing on the show. This admission comes as part of a broader discussion about her lifelong struggles with anxiety attacks, which began in childhood.
Bake Off Victory and Subsequent Career Success
In 2015, Nadiya Hussain not only participated in Bake Off but emerged as the winner, catapulting her into the public eye. Following this triumph, she launched a successful media career, authoring multiple cookbooks and hosting BBC cooking series such as Nadiya's British Food Adventure and Nadiya's Family Favourites. Despite these achievements, she now shares that revisiting Bake Off is emotionally challenging for her.
In an interview with the i newspaper, Nadiya explained: "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." She elaborated that her anxiety traces back to age seven, when she faced racist bullying at school, leading to panic attacks. However, she found solace in cooking and baking, which helped calm and focus her mind, particularly during stressful periods like her marriage.
Using Food as a Coping Mechanism
Nadiya described using "food as a crutch" to manage her anxiety, noting that her relationship with food has improved over time. She credits her career in the culinary world with aiding this progress, stating that it has been therapeutic. However, this career path recently faced a significant disruption when the BBC ended her presenting role in 2025 after over a decade of hosting cookery shows.
She characterized this decision as a "huge turning point," expressing feelings of confusion and lack of closure in an interview with women&home. In response, Nadiya pivoted to a new profession, becoming a teaching assistant at a primary school, which she saw as a fresh start.
Short-Lived Teaching Role and Health Challenges
Unfortunately, Nadiya's tenure as a teaching assistant was brief. Just two days after publicly announcing the role and only a few months into the job, she revealed she was leaving due to health concerns. In an emotional Instagram video, she explained that the environment "played havoc with her health," citing her weakened immune system from fibromyalgia—a chronic condition causing pain, fatigue, and cognitive issues.
She detailed in the video: "As you know, anyone who works in a school setting—there are lots of coughs and colds bugs and I just couldn't get better. So, I was sick all the time and it got to the point where it was affecting my mental health and I just wasn't performing, giving my best because I was always sick. I had to make a really tough decision, one of the toughest I've ever had to make was stepping away from that job."
This career shift highlights the ongoing challenges Nadiya faces, balancing her public persona with personal health and well-being, while her openness about anxiety continues to resonate with fans and those dealing with similar issues.
