Jamie Oliver has revealed the painful reality of his school days, recalling how he was “dragged out of class” to attend a so-called “special needs class” while classmates mocked him for his undiagnosed dyslexia.
The celebrity chef, now 50, admitted he constantly felt like a “failure” in school, but said he was fortunate to discover cooking as his lifeline. “I found school a real challenge. I was constantly dragged out of class and my peers would take the mickey out of me. But out of school I had cooking. It gave me drive, confidence, hope – it made me believe in my very young self and my worth in the world,” he said.
Jamie previously shared how cruel taunts of “stupid dunce” left him feeling “worthless, stupid and thick.” Yet he credits the kitchen for saving him, adding: “What school eroded away, I found in cooking.”
The father-of-five was speaking ahead of the launch of his new children’s cookbook series, Little Food Library, aimed at youngsters aged two to four. The first four titles will be released globally on October 9.
Beyond his own struggles, Jamie also opened up about his family. He recently revealed that his wife, former model Jools, is neurodivergent – as are some of their children. Speaking to Davina McCall on her podcast Begin Again, he said: “She’s definitely the rock. She’s incredibly kind, funny, and has amazing instinct. But she has neurodiversities that make her life really interesting and really challenging.”
Jamie and Jools, who married in 2000 and renewed their vows in 2023 during a family ceremony in the Maldives, share daughters Poppy, 23, Daisy, 22, Petal, 16, and sons Buddy, 14, and River, eight. The chef admitted he and Jools talk about their children every night, learning to understand their behaviours through the lens of neurodiversity.
He added with humour: “Home life is bonkers – imagine four neurodiverse people around the dinner table all trying to get their point across!”
Jamie also reflected that attitudes towards conditions like dyslexia, ADHD and autism remain generational, noting how “older people” often dismiss such issues as non-existent in their youth.
For Oliver, the pain of his school days still lingers – but the kitchen, his wife, and his children have given him purpose, resilience, and pride.
