Highlights
- Hussain says school role made her “sick all the time”.
- Star stepped away to prioritise physical and mental wellbeing.
- She remains open to future TV work with greater creative control.
Hussain, 41, said she pursued work outside television after the BBC chose not to recommission her cookery programme last year.
Despite receiving offers from broadcasters, she applied for a teaching assistant role, describing the experience as deeply fulfilling.
“I’d always wanted to work with younger children as a teaching assistant,” she said, adding that the role brought joy and purpose.
However, regular exposure to coughs and colds in a school setting aggravated her health conditions, including fibromyalgia and a gastro autoimmune disease.
“Anyone who works in a school setting knows there are lots of bugs,” Hussain said. “I just couldn’t get better. I was sick all the time and it got to the point where it was affecting my mental health because I wasn’t giving my best.”
She described leaving the role as “one of the toughest decisions” she has ever made, but said prioritising her wellbeing was necessary.
Career crossroads ahead
A newsletter from Giles Brook Primary in Milton Keynes said Hussain had become a valued member of staff before her departure, wishing her well for the future.
Hussain rose to national prominence after winning The Great British Bake Off in 2015 and went on to present several cookery series and write bestselling books.
Following the cancellation of her BBC programme, she said she found herself “at a crossroads”.
Although she has declined new approaches from Channel 4 and ITV, Hussain has not ruled out a return to television.
She said any future cookery project would require greater creative involvement and expressed interest in producing documentaries and travel programmes focusing on meaningful issues.
For now, the mother of three said she is reassessing her next steps while focusing on recovery. “Sometimes it’s OK to put yourself first,” she said. “In this situation, I had to put my health first.”
