Nadiya Hussain says she can’t listen to The Great British Bake Off theme tune without having an anxiety attack – after the truth about her BBC sacking was revealed
Nadiya Hussain’s Anxiety Triggered by GBBO Theme Tune After BBC Sacking Revelation
Over a decade since claiming victory on The Great British Bake Off, Nadiya Hussain has shared that the show’s iconic theme music brings back painful memories, often leading to anxiety attacks. The 41-year-old baker, who once catapulted to fame in 2015, now finds the tune a constant reminder of the intense pressure she endured during her time on the program.
While her career was launched by her Bake Off triumph, Nadiya revealed that the melody evokes the ‘stress’ she experienced in the competition’s high-stakes environment. She has since transitioned into a new role as a teaching assistant, though her health issues forced her to step away from the job.
In a recent interview, Nadiya discussed her lifelong battle with anxiety and panic attacks, which she attributes to childhood bullying. She dismissed the notion that her time on Bake Off was a ‘journey,’ stating,
‘I didn’t realise I was on a journey at the time, I had no idea what was happening.’
Despite calling her Bake Off experience a ‘beautiful rite of passage,’ she admitted,
‘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.’
Insider Claims BBC Sacking Was Due to Waning Star Power
Following the revelation of her BBC exit, insiders told Daily Mail that the decision stemmed from factors beyond her religion. They cited her ‘waning’ popularity, ‘tired’ recipes, and ‘increasingly hard to work with’ demeanor as key reasons for her removal from the network. The sacking occurred 11 years after her Bake Off win, with no single cause definitively tied to her Muslim background.
Nadiya previously expressed confusion over her quiet departure in June, stating she had yet to receive a clear explanation from BBC executives. However, she has since firmly linked her sacking to her faith, asserting,
‘Suddenly I wasn’t the same Nadiya that I was before, because before I was writing cookbooks that were for everybody, and now I wrote this book that didn’t feel inclusive.’
Contrasting Perspectives on Her BBC Exit
BBC insiders emphasized that Nadiya’s claim about her religion being a deciding factor was ‘wide of the mark,’ noting her successful series like The Chronicles Of Nadiya and Nadiya’s Asian Odyssey as evidence of the network’s embrace of her cultural roots. They argued that her decade-long tenure was ‘long and fruitful,’ culminating in a ‘natural end’ as the BBC sought to refresh its lineup.
A separate showbiz source suggested that Nadiya’s star had diminished over time, with her post-Bake Off output failing to match her earlier success. They noted,
‘Nadiya was a major star when she won Bake Off and big things were predicted. She landed shows on BBC, book deals and other endorsements, so she did well. But she’s not really kicked onto the next level and it’s been over ten years since she won Bake Off, there’s new faces on the scene and she’s in a battle with them now.’
The source also claimed her recipes appeared less compelling compared to those of emerging talent, and her growing fame made her ‘harder to work with’ in recent years.
