Stay-at-home mome Nadiya Hussain became the most talked about woman in Britain after winning the deliciously popular UK culinary competition Great British Bake Off. The Bangladeshi talent told the BBC network show This Morning the fascinating story behind her baking passion – and was reunited with the woman who inspired her to start it all: her home economics teacher Mrs. Marshall.
"We never baked in our family, dessert isn't something that's common in our culture so we never had desserts," said Nadiya. "It was only when I did food studies [in school] that I started baking… and the whole process, I just got hooked. During lunch breaks, rather than having my lunch in the lunch hall, I used to go in and watch Mrs. Marshall prepare for her class. I would sit and watch her and I learned off her. I hope she is proud."
Nadiya became Britain's most talked about woman after winning hit cooking show Great British Bake Off Photo: Getty Images
To her surprise, the morning show had arranged for Mrs. Marshall to unexpectedly congratulate her star student in person, telling her: "It's absolutely amazing and yes, I am so proud, and delighted, and thrilled. All those things."
"This is bizarre, but this is fantastic," said Nadiya in reply. "It was you that planted that seed and said, 'You know what, you're actually really good at this' – and the only time I baked was with Mrs. Marshall at school, I never did it at home."
Nadiya with her co-stars Ian Cumming (left) and Tamal Ray Photo: Getty Images
Millions of viewers across Britain were moved to tears when she took the GBBO crown and emotionally vowed: "I am never going to put boundaries on myself.... I am never going to say I don't think I can. I can and I will."
And now she has revealed that it was her husband Abdal who convinced her to join the popular show. Incidentally, during his wife's race to culinary victory, he became an unexpected Twitter heartthrob. "I win the Bake Off and he gets all the glory for being a hunk!" she laughed.
