Another Baby? I'd Be Pushing My Luck!'

Jamie Oliver has had one of the busiest years of his life after welcoming fifth child River Rocket last August, as well as writing a cookbook and filming his new TV series. We sat down with the chef, 42, who’s married to Jools, 42, and also dad to Poppy, 15, Daisy, 14, Petal, eight, and Buddy, six, to talk family life, romance and letting his hair down…

- Kerrina Gray

Hi Jamie! So River has just turned one! What did you do to celebrate?

We had a tea party. He’s one and he’s not going to remember it, but we got nans and grandads and aunties and uncles over. And he got a little push car, he loves pushing things!

Do the older ones help out?

Yeah, they’re pretty good actually, even down to Petal, who’s eight. She holds River like a woman, you’d be amazed. If me and mum left them, they’d be fine. It’s very sweet to see.

Are you nervous about them all becoming teenagers?

Of course I am! All you want is for them to be happy, have good friends and good manners, become their own little people that hopefully can contribute in some sort of way. Me and Jools are constantly thinking, ‘Could we have done that better?’ and I think every parent does the same.

Can you see any of them following in your cooking footsteps?

I would love it because it means that I could have more time with them. Someone’s going to have to look after my 7,000 recipes at some stage! Of all of them it would be Buddy. He’s like, ‘I really want to cook Dad but I don’t know if I want to cook because I’m never going to be better than you!’

What does he make?

He makes potions, mixing together mud and water and then taking £50 worth of saffron! It’s dangerous and probably poisonous, but he says, ‘If you want me to be cooking you’ve got to let me make my potions.’ The joys of parenting!