'It was to cover up my bad hair': Bake Off's Nadiya Hussain reveals the REAL reason she started to wear a headscarf - leaving her family shocked
- Nadiya Hussain has become a role model for headscarf-wearing women
- But it wasn't family tradition to wear one and she shocked her parents
- Says she wore it to cover up her bad hair more than anything else at first
Great British Bake off winner Nadiya Hussain has become a role model for headscarf-wearing women everywhere.
However, she has revealed that her decision to wear the garment wasn't quite what you might expect.
The 31-year-old mother-of-three has revealed that it wasn't a family tradition to wear a headscarf and she discovered it on her own accord - leaving her parents puzzled.
Nadiya Hussain, 31, who found fame as the Great British Bake Off winner, has shared her surprising path to discovering the headscarf
Speaking to The Times, Nadiya explained that she began wearing the scarf 17 years ago when headscarves weren't very common.
She said: 'I spent a lot of time in the school library. I'd go to the RE section. I didn't come from a very religious family at all... but I happened to discover my religion.'
She went on to joke that wearing the scarf was probably a way to cover up her 'bad hair more than anything else' because her father 'cut it really badly.'
She experimented tying the scarf alone in her bedroom as she didn't have anyone to copy or to help her with the technique and used scarves that came with her dresses fastened with safety pins. 'I looked like Tutankhamen. Not a good look,' she joked.
Nadiya explained that she began wearing the scarf 17 years ago when headscarves weren't very common and it wasn't a family tradition to wear one
Nadiya went on to explain that her parents were confused by her decision to wear the scarf but she simply told them she didn't care what society thought and wore it for herself.
She said even people from her native Bangladesh were puzzled by her decision. She added: 'I went to Bangladesh and somebody said: "Why have you got your head bandaged? Have you injured your head?" That's how uncommon it was.'
Nadiya was crowned champion of the Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood-fronted baking programme last summer, and has since gone on to enjoy success as a baker in the media.
The talented chef released her first cook book, Nadiya's Kitchen, in June.
Nadiya also writes a column for The Times and made the Queen's 90th birthday cake.
It has just been announced that Nadiya, pictured with her husband, Adbal, will return to our screens as a judge on Junior Bake-off
Additionally, she will front her own TV show, entitled The Chronicles of Nadiya, which will see her trace her culinary roots in Bangladesh.
In fact, it has just been announced that Nadiya will return to our screens as a judge on Junior Bake-off.
The 31-year-old mother-of-three is said to be delighted by her new role.
The Great British Bake Off 2015 champion will lend her knowledge to the CBBC programme alongside international chef and food writer Allegra McEvedy as they judge 40 young bakers on their quest to be the best.
Nadiya was crowned champion of the Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood-fronted baking programme last summer, and has since gone on to enjoy success as a baker in the media
The contestants, aged nine to 12, will each face two challenges over a series of 10 heats, concocting delights such as biscuits, cakes and pastries in their bid to succeed.
Like the original BBC series, the hopefuls will be tasked with the Technical Bake and the Showstopper challenges in the Bake Off tent, before they are whittled down from 40 to four for the grand final.
The Luton-born star, who married her husband at the tender age of 19, said: 'I'm delighted to be joining Junior Bake Off as a judge. This time last year I was in the Bake Off tent and now I get to go back and help encourage the next generation to get their bake on.
'I am so excited to have this opportunity.'
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