Nadiya Bake Me A Story

[Billy Cregin]

Countlessthousands of words have been written about the continued allure of this programme. I've argued that Bake Off appeals because it conjures up a rural way of life about which we are deeply nostalgic: the world of the village fete, of an England of "long shadows on cricket lawns", as John Major once put it; or Orwell's "old maids bicycling to Holy Communion'. Of warm ginger beer and Downton; fresh scones and buttered crumpets; the promise of "honey still for tea"; the sound of leather on willow.

It's also a world of kindness: bakers are givers, and work in a "spirit of generosity", according to the BBC's Martha Kearney. If a Charlotte Russe starts to fall apart, or the biscuit panels of a chocolate showstopper shift, the bakers will spring into action to help one another - even if Ian's set jaw hints at a determination to win.

Crucially, as I've blogged here, the appeal of the GBBO also lies in teasing out the psychology of the bakers: puzzling why a junior hospital doctor might want to spend his spare time fashioning a cardamom, blackberry and raspberry Charlotte Russe. Or why a photographer to the Dalai Lama is so perfectionist he forges Heath Robinson style gadgets to ensure his bakes are sufficiently precise. Or a mother-of-three, who never usually feels proud of herself but whose inner conviction grows as we watch her, decides to enter the competition in the first place.

But I've also realised that the GBBO fulfils our need for a good story. Plotting my third novel, I've been reading John Yorke's excellent Into the Woods: how Stories Work and How We Tell Them, and thinking about the narrative journey, the conflict and jeopardy a protagonist must go through. Yorke's analysis covers films and TV programmes such as Thelma and Louise, Spooks, and Pulp Fiction - a far cry from the gentle, apparently plot-free world of Bake Off - and yet the idea of a hero facing several feats as s/he battles to fulfil his/her quest of becoming the winner; of him overcoming adversity and undergoing a process of self-realisation applies just as neatly here.

At the risk of over-analysing a programme about bakers in a tent, I believe we love the GBBO because we want to see that hero evolve: we believe the winner should be the contestant who endures the greatest set backs in their journey and who develops the most throughout the ten weeks. The worthy hero is the baker who has undergone the greatest process of self-realisation: having battled their own self-doubt, and undergone their own baking disasters - a wrongly-judged flavour or, better still, a collapsing structure or a timing crisis; something that puts their existence in the competition in real jeopardy - while whipping up exquisite cheesecakes and patisserie.

The rightful winner - according to our need for a good story - and the favourite to win is, of course, Nadiya. Her back story alone marks her out as a worthy hero: the young girl who grew up in a Bangladeshi family where they cooked, but never made desserts. Taught to bake by her school home economics teach, she didn't make star baker until week five and initially struggled with the technicals - failing to complete her vol au vents. But with her creative inventiveness, she has battled through to become star baker three times; while her expressive facial expressions and emotional honesty mean she lets us, the viewers, in on the journey she is experiencing. Ian is just too emotionally cool; Tamal, despite his Eeyorish fear that he would never be star baker, perhaps a little reserved for that.

Of course, on a wider level, the hijab-wearing Nadiya deserves to win, according to the rules of a good story, because she was perhaps the most unexpected contestant. As she told The Radio Times: "Originally, I was a bit nervous that perhaps people would look at me, a Muslim in a headscarf, and wonder if I could bake."

When the first programme aired there was snarling in the Daily Mail about the line-up being "more right-on and politically correct than a Benetton ad", and yet with her humour and, crucially, her skill she has silenced such critics. This weekend, the Telegraph championed her for doing so much to remove prejudices against women wearing the hijab. As Nadiya herself has said: "I hope that week by week people have realised that I can bake - and just because I'm not a stereotypical British person, it doesn't mean that I am not into bunting, cake and tea."

Of course, our need for a good story doesn't mean she will win. Never underestimate a baker, such as Ian, who makes their own gadgets: after all, Nancy, who turned up with a jaffa cake guillotine in week one, triumphed last year. And Mary Berry has done much eye-twinkling and winking at both Ian and the series' beauty, the equally impressive Tamal.

But, worthy winners though they may be, there will be a collective groan at 8.58 tonight if Nadiya doesn't claim the Bake Off crown. Her inventiveness means she deserves it - but this isn't about the bakes; it's about her undergoing a quest and experiencing a hero's journey.

An unread copy direct from the publisher, signed 'Love Nadiya' to the verso of the fep. Join Great British Bake Off sensation Nadiya Hussain and her children for scrumptious stories and delicious bakes that all the family can enjoy. Beautifully illustrated by Clair Rossiter, Nadiya's Bake Me a Story is a unique combination of story book and cookbook. Make some yummy butter beans patties and, while they are in the oven, curl up with the story of Jack and the Bean-Patty Stalk, or read about Ruby Red and her Very-Berry Muffins while you wait for your own muffins to bake. Seller Inventory # 003163

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Nadiya Jamir Hussain[1] MBE (ne Begum;[2] born 25 December 1984) is a British television chef,[3][4] author[5] and television personality.[6] She rose to fame after winning the sixth series of BBC's The Great British Bake Off in 2015.[7] Since winning, she has signed contracts with the BBC to host the documentary The Chronicles of Nadiya and TV cookery series Nadiya's British Food Adventure[8] and Nadiya's Family Favourites;[9] co-presented The Big Family Cooking Showdown;[10] and has become a regular contributor on The One Show.

Hussain is a columnist for The Times Magazine and has signed publishing deals with Penguin Random House,[11] Hodder Children's Books[12] and Harlequin.[13] She has appeared as a guest panellist on ITV's Loose Women.[14] She was invited to bake a cake for the 90th birthday celebrations of Elizabeth II.

In 2017, Hussain was named by Debrett's as one of the 500 most influential people in the UK[15] and was on BBC News' 100 Women list.[16] She was also shortlisted for Children's Book of the Year prize at the British Book Awards for Bake Me A Story[17] and was nominated for Breakthrough Star at the Royal Television Society Awards for The Chronicles of Nadiya.[18] Ted Cantle, the author of a government report on community cohesion, said Hussain had done "more for British-Muslim relations than 10 years of government policy".[19][20]

Hussain is a second-generation British Bangladeshi, born and raised in Luton, Bedfordshire, where she attended Maidenhall Infant School, Challney High School and Luton Sixth Form College. She has five siblings: three sisters and two brothers. Hussain's father, who originates from Beanibazar, was a chef and owned an Indian restaurant.[21] Hussain started wearing a hijab at age 14 to cover up her "bad hair more than anything else" because her father "cut it really badly."[22][23][24] As a teenager, she was diagnosed with panic disorder and underwent cognitive behavioural therapy.[25] She revealed her mental health difficulties in a Sport Relief film[26] and tackled childhood anxiety in her book My Monster and Me.[5]

Hussain learned basic cooking skills at school.[10] Her mother never baked and used the oven for storage. She taught herself the rest from recipe books and watching videos on YouTube. Her favourite book is a baking-themed book by Irish novelist Marian Keyes.[27]

At the time of The Great British Bake Off, Hussain was "a full-time mum" living in Leeds with her husband, an IT specialist, and three children, while studying for an Open University degree in Childhood and Youth Studies.[28] When she won the final they moved to Milton Keynes nearer to London so that she could pursue a culinary career.[27]

With more than 15 million viewers, the final was the most-watched show of 2015.[30] Her appearance on the show and ensuing popularity with audiences were deemed important steps toward shifting stereotypes about the Muslim community and acceptance about cultural diversity.[31][32][33] Hussain established a large following on social media. Her online followers describe themselves as "Nadiyators" and she also won the backing of then Prime Minister David Cameron.[34]

In August 2016, Hussain was presenter of a two-part food travelogue, The Chronicles of Nadiya, on BBC One, in which she travelled to Bangladesh to trace her culinary roots.[36] She visited her paternal grandfather's village in Sylhet in the northeast of Bangladesh. She cooked for the crew of one of the country's famous paddle steamers, and visited a riverside village where they still practise the ancient art of otter fishing. In the capital Dhaka, she helped 'Thrive', a charity delivering meals to deprived schoolchildren.[37] The first episode debuted immediately after The Great British Bake Off on 24 August, and was watched by 4.5 million viewers, a 20.5% share of all television viewers during the broadcast slot.[38] The series was nominated at the 2017 National Television Awards under 'Factual Entertainment'.[39] Hussain was nominated for Breakthrough star at the 2017 Royal Television Society Awards.[18]

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