With a string of popular restaurants, a seemingly endless collection of cookbooks, and an affable television personality, he has established himself as one of the richest celebrity chefs in the world.
But Jamie Oliver admits she had to overcome numerous obstacles as she worked her way to the top after being diagnosed with dyslexia.
Oliver, 49, discovered he had dyslexia, which causes problems with reading, writing and spelling, as a child, and has since spoken about his subsequent struggles with the learning disability in a new Channel 4 documentary.
Throughout the one-hour programme, the chef will explore dyslexia and its impact on 1.3 million children across the UK.
He said: “It’s no secret that I struggled at school, but I was one of the lucky ones.” I knew I wanted to be a chef, so I had a place to go, a catering school, where I could thrive.
“Cooking saved me.”
Holly Willoughby (left) and Jamie Oliver (right) have overcome individual struggles with dyslexia to achieve great success in their respective fields.
With a string of popular restaurants, a seemingly endless collection of cookbooks, and an affable television personality, Oliver has established himself as one of the richest chefs in the world.
Oliver joins a host of high-profile celebrities who are managing successful careers while living with the condition, including former This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby.
Discussing the condition on the ITV daytime show in 2022, the presenter said she did not see it as a “disability”, adding: “I think it makes me who I am.”
Speaking to businessman Sir Richard Branson, who is also dyslexic, he said: “I don’t see it as a disability at all, I see it as a real feather in my cap.”
‘I’m very proud to be dyslexic, I think that makes me who I am. I think half the things I’m pretty good at in life are because I’m dyslexic.’
While Holly is proud to say she is dyslexic, she admitted she felt less positive about her condition when she was younger.
“For me, because I’m not a very good speller, I felt embarrassed about it for years,” she told This Morning viewers in 2021.
‘Dyslexia has such a wide spectrum that people have many different forms. Yes, I’m dyslexic too and I had to find my own toolkit and for me it was finding someone who understood this and who could teach me how to access those tools because it wasn’t as well known at school back then.
“I wouldn’t write in front of people because I didn’t want them to see it, but now it doesn’t bother me that I can’t spell.”
Oliver discovered he had dyslexia, which causes problems with reading, writing and spelling, as a child (pictured in his youth).
Their upcoming documentary, airing later this year, explores how schools can celebrate diverse ways of thinking and redefine success in today’s world.
The media personality added that she was able to cope with the condition when she received advice as a teenager.
Dyslexia is a learning disability that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling. One in ten people suffer from this problem for life in the United Kingdom and the United States.
In addition to having difficulties with reading, writing and spelling, other signs of dyslexia include confusing the order of letters in words and having difficulty following instructions, planning and organizing.
Famous sufferers include actor Orlando Bloom, businessman Richard Branson, television musician Jessica Simpson and film star Tom Cruise.
People with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as problem solving and creative thinking.
Oliver intends to challenge the Government to reform the “archaic” education system, which he believes fails to engage children with dyslexia.
Speaking about the condition on This Morning in 2022, Willoughby said he did not see it as a “disability”, adding: “I think it makes me who I am.”
Oliver intends to challenge the Government to reform the “archaic” education system, which he believes fails to engage children with dyslexia.
Their upcoming documentary, airing later this year, explores how schools can celebrate diverse ways of thinking and redefine success in today’s world.
He said, “I just want to look 13-year-olds who struggle with reading in the eyes and tell them, ‘You’re worthless.'”
Tim Hancock, Channel 4 commissioning editor, said: “There is no more effective campaigner than Jamie, and he is now bringing his expertise to an issue he cares deeply about.”
“I am delighted that Channel 4 is following him again in the election campaign.”