Nadiya Hussain responds to critics

[PruthePrune]

Nadiya Hussain responds to critics

I can understand her being upset that her shows have been axed, apparently ratings were falling, However, I find it hugely disappointing that she has brought race/religion into it. No one is entitled to a BBC show and I think she has had a bloody good run. AIBU?

You mean his death?

He stopped being on TV about 20 years before that.

Yes, I think that's kind of the point that poster was making.....

Her ratings were falling. I don’t know anyone who watched her programmes any more. That’s TV for you. Nothing personal. She’s coming across as entitled & unpleasant.

He died in 2019, he was all over our TV in the 90s and then disappeared for 20 years.

There are dozens more examples.

Oh i don't understand the "joke" .

That isn't because they are white, though. Do you think that white people should be more entitled to social housing than anyone else?

🫣

I suppose race works both ways. I only "know" of her due to her background & I've only read interviews about her marriage/culture (which is turn has made me like her more on a personal level) - it's a huge appeal of her in a way & would say on a whole has been a benefit for her

But having read some others interpretations of "be grateful" I think I can see it as a patronising thing aswell & yes it's often foisted onto lower classes/poor people so has double negative connotions as well.

Welcome to this side of MN.

Some posters make a sport of intentionally 'missing the point'.

I’d love to see her do more travel shows, with a food element.

Understand wanting to respond to press/people’s criticisms with likely biased underpinnings. And to address perceived unfair treatment from the BBC. But v risky PR and career wise.

… especially the racist ones

She is a sell out!! She didnt speak on Palestine so her ratings crashed as people boycotted. She spoke up too late to try and get the views back but it was too late and her shows were axed. Nothing to do with race, she brang it on herself!

Imo Nadiya won a baking competition but was only ever an amateur.
When she made that cake for the Queen it was embarrassing how bad it was.
I never watched any of her cookery programmes after seeing that.
I’m pleased she has had some success and no she doesn’t have to be grateful but I don’t think she would have been given her own programmes without her Bake Off fame.

Madhur Jaffrey on the other hand, was a trail blazer.

he did stop being on tv
his face according to wiki was the face of tate and lyle as well as Flora
he moved to dubai and opened a restaurent.
i guess nadiya could endorse a restaurent.

Jesus don't be ridiculous. And 'brang' is not a word!!

Sorry but it's "brought", past tense of bring.

On SM she said she was finding it hard and insensitive to make shows about food when millions are starving.

There are millions of people starving at any point in time, she wasn’t so bothered about it during her 10 year tv career. I think sometimes people get a bit of fame and then use that fame as a political platform, and then realise they didn’t have the security or stature they thought they had when they subsequently lose their job.

I imagine race plays its part - how dare an uppity brown woman speak about geopolitical issues and especially when their views don’t match the “establishment”. There’s no need for her to show gratitude beyond the appreciation we all have when skill and luck combine in our favour.

“You should be grateful as a brown, Muslim woman that you got the opportunity” -racist

“You should be grateful to have an opportunity to make a lot of money doing something you love” not racist.

It wasn't a joke. He was on UK TV regularly, had various restaurants/businesses (which probably made a hell of a lot more money for a professional chef than TV work), published 20 or so books between 1994 and 2008 and was still appearing on TV worldwide until he died.

So that'll be why the PP doesn't see him on TV anymore, not anything about a change in fashion meaning that Nadiya Hussain needs to get over herself.

Indeed.

I suspect these are the same people who appear to think the terms “working class” or “poor British” = white people. It’s so tiresome.

As if many ethnic minorities aren’t poor too, and/or in social housing - all the while being doubly looked down on.

They are often regarded poorly not only for their social status/lack of money but because they’re “foreigners coming over and taking our houses” and “if they don’t like it they can go back” etc. And it must be said that some (not all!) of the ones saying comments like this telling POC - poor or not - to be grateful, are poor white people.

Really. That is Interesting. I wasn’t aware that.

I agree. She was absolutely excellent. I remember a programme where she met some of her relatives in Bangladesh. Her approach was stand-out refreshing and it gave an insight into places and people that other TV presenters would never have had access to. The usual travelling tv journalist is a white male with trademark cross-body man-bag that somehow indicates he is just a fleeting observer, just passing through, with no real interest in or connection to the people he meets. Such a cliche, but she broke the mould.

She’s a TV cook. I’m more than happy for her to stay in her lane. Why is her opinion about the Middle East of any value or import? She’s a British woman of Bangladeshi descent.

There’s no need for her to be grateful, so if people are telling her to be then it’s fair enough to respond.

Ten years is a long run on the BBC so she’s done well there, she has a massive following she’ll build a big online brand and work with cooking channels etc.

@ExercicenformedeZ
While I agree the pp's claims about 'the narrative' are off and shit stirring, actually poor white people are frequently told to be grateful for what they have.
It is the whole point about having hierarchical layers of class and rights.
You can't punch down if you haven't designated others as below you and lesser than you.

But of course, the difference is if you are white and not visibly disabled, then if needs be, there are ways to pass as not poor. It is also, fate, and luck willing, something you may be able to change.

I know little about Nadiya but am not aware that she was previously poor, so it sounds like the fact that comparison's even comes up, rather speaks for itself.

For those who cannot see; If you aren't white, or/and are visibly disabled, absolutely everything you achieve your entire life, will be affected by being seen through a lens of something you have no choice in, and no way of changing, even if you wanted to, and are expected to be inspiration porn one minute and 'know your place' the next.