It's Important My Kids See Me Go Out To Work

Nadiya Hussain on the luxury of full-time motherhood, getting so lucky with her husband and how she learned to live her dreams

- Carrie Mitchell

Little over a year ago, Nadiya Hussain’s days were dominated by taking care of her family. But since her victory on The Great British Bake Off, the Leeds housewife has become a regular on our screens, published her first cookbook, Nadiya’s Kitchen, and made a TV show, The Chronicles of Nadiya. Now based in Milton Keynes, Nadiya is fast approaching national treasure status, but if you’re hoping for tales of diva behaviour and starry strops, you’ll be disappointed. For while her life has changed beyond all recognition, Nadiya still rushes home from TV appearances to cook dinner for her husband Abdal, their son Musa, nine, and two daughters, eight-year-old Dawud and five-year-old Maryam. And she’s not about to hand over her apron strings any time soon…

Life’s been non-stop lately.

My daily routine before Bake Off was looking after the children, cooking and cleaning, but now I’ll do a long working day in London, then I’ll get home and head straight for the kitchen and start cooking. I sleep on the train and I eat lots of chocolate – that’s pretty much what keeps me going. I have dropped my standards a little bit though – you have to learn to prioritise what does and doesn’t need doing. Luckily, I have a lovely husband who is a big help.

I have to pinch myself sometimes.