Jamie Oliver reveals recent diagnoses in his "neurodiverse family" as he embarks on a mission to get better support
Jamie Oliver has been incredibly open about how his dyslexia has affected him throughout his life, especially during his education, and has consistently advocated for better support for neurodivergent children.
It seems, however, that the celebrity chef isn't the only member of his family to grow up with a learning difference, as he revealed that some of his children are in the same situation.
In a brand new interview with The Sunday Times, the 50-year-old shared that there have been various diagnoses of dyslexia, ADHD and ASD (also known as autism spectrum disorder) in his "very neurodiverse family" over the last year.
Though he did not go into any more detail than this, he said that he and his wife Jools have in fact "learned to understand that their [children's] behaviour is because they're seeing things differently," and that "being aware of that allows you to be a better parent".
Jamie also called his family life "amazing but bonkers", joking: "Imagine four neurodiverse people at the dinner table trying to get their point across."
He further rebuked the attitudes taken towards neurodivergence by older generations, saying: "Older people tend to have the 'we didn't have that when we were young' attitude. We just didn't know as much about our brains 30 years ago."
The celebrity chef has been working on an hour-long documentary for Channel 4 called Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, which will explore the challenges facing dyslexic children and interrogate what the British government can change to support them within education.
Jamie also opened up about the emotional toll that making the documentary took on him, telling the publication: "I'm unpacking quite a lot of stuff. I thought I'd buried it but it's hitting a nerve. Genuinely, of all the things I've ever done, this documentary is the most viscerally painful.
"I've seen so many high-flying, talented, grown men cry about this – I've just done it to you [referring to his crying during the interview] – the concept of being worthless [when you're] young is real. It's really triggering."
Though the father-of-five has been vocal and open about his struggle with the learning difficulty, especially during his school days, for a long time, he only received his official diagnosis in January of this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
29 minutes ago
- Associated Press
GenBio CSO Professor Lindsay Brown Drills Down into the Autism Spectrum Disorder
The Global Burden of Disease 2021 report estimated that 1 in 127 people or 61.8 million were on the autism spectrum (ASD) globally 'I know of nobody who is purely autistic, or purely neurotypical. Even God has some autistic moments, which is why the planets spin.'— Jerry Newport ALISO VIEJO, CA, UNITED STATES, June 30, 2025 / / -- The Global Burden of Disease 2021 report estimated that 1 in 127 people or 61.8 million were on the autism spectrum ( ASD ) globally, leading to a burden of 11.7 million disability- adjusted life years. The non-fatal health burden of ASD as a developmental condition includes persistent difficulties in social interaction, challenges with sensory perception, and repetitive behaviours. The causes of ASD are very complex, including genetic and epigenetic changes, environmental factors such as increased maternal age, maternal characteristics of metabolic syndrome, changes in the gut microbe-brain axis, medication exposure such as the antidepressant valproic acid and the effects of infection, oxidative stress and inflammation. These causes underlie the heterogeneity in the aetiology, phenotype and outcome of ASD. Treatment for ASD mainly includes ongoing behavioural and educational interventions but there are no pharmacological interventions that target the core ASD symptoms. The gut-brain axis allows the brain to regulate gastrointestinal function while the gut microbiome regulates the brain by immune, neuroendocrine and vagal pathways. Molecules that regulate the brain derived from the gut microbiome include lipopolysaccharide, short- chain fatty acids, vitamins including the B-group, neurotransmitters such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, intestinal hormones and tryptophan metabolites such as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and kynurenine. Enteroendocrine cells (EC) in the gut produce 95% of the body's 5-HT; chronic exposure to the gut microbiota increases 5-HT synthesis by an increased EC proliferation. Changes to the gut microbiome may also be relevant to maternal influences on ASD. These changes are not unique to ASD but may contribute to many brain health issues including depression, anxiety and neurodegenerative disorders. Modifying gut microbiota in ASD by dietary modulation may decrease gastro-intestinal dysfunction and improve behaviour. However, eating disorders combined with tantrums and behavioural problems are common in ASD children so dietary modulation will not always be feasible. The importance of the gut microbiota is shown by Microbiota Transfer Treatment as a potential therapy for ASD; in 18 children, follow-up after 2 years showed that improvements in gastro-intestinal symptoms were maintained while further improvements in autism-related symptoms were measured. Prebiotics and synbiotics may produce improvements for some behavioural and gastrointestinal symptoms in ASD but the evidence should be expanded. Further, there is evidence for benefits of probiotics in children with ASD showing behavioural and gastrointestinal improvements. Dietary nutraceuticals include the anthocyanins as the purple, red and blue colours in many fruits, including Queen Garnet and Davidson's plums. The anthocyanins produce anti- inflammatory and antioxidant responses and change the gut microbiome. Treatment with an anthocyanin-containing extract from blueberries decreased neuroinflammation and gut inflammation, modulated the gut microbiota and improved 5-HT concentrations in the gut and prefrontal cortex to ameliorate autism-like behaviours in a valproic acid mouse model of autism. Clinical trials of anthocyanins in patients with cognitive impairment in mild Alzheimer's disease have shown improved vascular responses. While these limited clinical trials with anthocyanins in mental health issues are important, they need to be extended to long-term but expensive trials as part of treatment for ASD patients. There are many changes that could improve life outcomes for autistic people and further research on chronic interventions with anthocyanins during pregnancy and in childhood would seem to be justified. Todd D. Sonoga GenBio Inc. +1 949-705-8021 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Facebook X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'We wanted to keep it Suffolk' - Sheeran on Halo becoming Town's new shirt sponsors
Minority owner Ed Sheeran stressed that Ipswich Town's new front-of-shirt sponsor should not be a gambling website (Image: PA) Ipswich Town minority shareholder Ed Sheeran is delighted to see local company Halo take over the club's front-of-shirt sponsorship. Sheeran's 'Mathematics Tour' had been on the front of the kits for four years, with the Blues earning promotion from League One to the Premier League in that time. Advertisement However, it was revealed last season that Sheeran would step back from the commitment from the 2025/26 campaign, with the pop sensation stressing that his replacement should not be a gambling website. Town stuck to that, agreeing a deal with Halo that the club say is the 'biggest in the club's history', running for the next three seasons. "I have sponsored the Ipswich kit for the last three years," Sheeran said about the switch. "We were talking about passing the torch over now. READ MORE: Suffolk company 'Halo' announced as Ed Sheeran shirt sponsor replacement Advertisement "I've known the Halo guys for a while, obviously they have done the arm [sleeve sponsorship]. I was very, very clear to everyone at Ipswich that we didn't want another betting company on the shirt, but we also wanted to keep it Suffolk, keep it local. "I'm a big fan of what Halo are doing for young people locally, and they are also a massive disruptor in the tech industry. It's just good to have a great Suffolk brand on it, and going from the Mathematic Tour onto Halo. "Thank you so much for taking the sponsorship." "From our point of view, it's been amazing to be involved in the football club," Halo founder and CEO Paul Hamilton replied to Sheeran. "To have you involved as well is obviously fantastic. Advertisement "There's a lot of similarities. I guess you don't know too much about the DNA of Halo, but we're massive disruptors. We've basically turned the industry on its head, we've ripped up the rulebook and done it our own way. "Very much like what you've done with the loop pedal - nobody does that to the scale you do. The number of collabs you've done, how ecletic you are, every genre. You see with Azizam, the Persian influence. Old Phone, the Celtic. "What you've done, there are so many similarities."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
All the celebrity style from Glastonbury 2025: Mia Regan, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Adwoa Aboah
It's that time of year again, when London's great and good vacate the city — and beg, borrow and steal their way to Somerset. Having secured tickets (or at least bought a ticket off someone with a similar shade of hair), the chicest Londoners spent the weekeend peering over each other's shoulders to see who had the best hospitality access: were they staying off-site at The Pig with Barbour (Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof, Adwoa Aboah), sequestered in PR overlord Fran Cutler's Winnebago A-list zone (Sienna Miller, Oli Green, et al), at Holt Farm — the posh independent campsite next door — or (gasp) the bog-standard general campsite? Wherever they slept, everyone turned out a look. First to Barbour, then, where a crack team including Adwoa Aboah, Lily James, Bilile Piper, Will Poulter Jessie Ware, Ncuti Gatwa and society girls Lady Lola Bute and Jazzy De Lisser all decamped early — and obediently dressed head to toe in the British outerwear label. Inside the festival, it was Mia Regan — model, hiker, and ex-girlfriend of Romeo Beckham — who turned heads in an outfit she's hinted online she might well have designed herself. More on that later. Rina Lipa, Dua's sister, meanwhile opted for a red slip, big black boots and Jimmy Choo's 'Cinch' bag. This year's line-up was as eclectic as ever. Friday saw The 1975 headline the Pyramid Stage, while earlier slots were filled by Biffy Clyro, Alanis Morissette and Lewis Capaldi. Saturday saw Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts close the night, preceded by rising star Raye and a secret act listed only as 'Patchwork' (aka Pulp). Sunday wrapped with Olivia Rodrigo, the youngest woman ever to headline Glasto, with Rod Stewart (joined by Ronnie Wood), Nile Rodgers & Chic, and Noah Kahan. Elsewhere, Charli XCX, The Prodigy, LCD Soundsystem, Loyle Carner, and Gracie Abrams headlined across the other stages, while surprise sets — which kicked off with Lorde's unannounced opening performance — kept everyone guessing. As it closes out for another year, here's all the best dressed celebrities to attend Glastonbury 2025.
