Nadiya Hussain, beloved winner of The Great British Bake Off, TV chef, and best-selling author, has shared an emotional video addressing the loss of 1,000 followers shortly after announcing her new cookbook, Rooza, dedicated to Ramadan.
In the heartfelt Instagram video, which has garnered over 35,000 likes and nearly 3,000 comments, Nadiya opened up about the challenges she has faced as a British Bangladeshi Muslim woman in the spotlight.
“After about 15 hours of announcing my new cookbook Rooza, I lost about 1,000 followers,” Nadiya explained. “Now, I have seen myself lose followers before over this period of 10 years that I have been doing this, and this loss usually happens when I talk about culture, faith, or current affairs.”
Nadiya noted that losing followers after announcing a cookbook is a first for her. “Deep down inside of me, I knew this book would cause some kind of controversy because there’s faith attached to my food,” she said.
Despite the backlash, Nadiya expressed pride in her work, emphasising the significance of Rooza in celebrating the culinary traditions of Ramadan, a sacred month for millions of Muslims worldwide. “As a British Bangladeshi Muslim woman, I am deeply proud of everything that I do because I have to work 10 times harder for 10 times less,” she shared.
Nadiya also reflected on the broader societal implications of the response, describing the follower exodus as an act of “microaggression” fueled by unconscious bias. She said, “I could have very easily left this alone. But I am getting really bored of letting it go. Letting it go has cost me my peace and allows society to believe that we’re doing alright, when actually the truth is we’re not.”
Her video struck a chord with many followers, attracting an outpouring of support from fans and new followers alike. One comment read, “That’s 1,000 people missing out on good recipes… their loss!” Another follower wrote, “White American guy here. I’m so sorry people are so close-minded and out of touch. The world is a better place because you and countless other diverse identities are present. Please keep shining bright.”
Nadiya concluded her video by reaffirming her commitment to creating a space of “love, comfort, food, and honesty,” adding, “If that offends you, then please unfollow me. This is not a space for narrow minds.”
With Rooza set to hit shelves soon, Nadiya’s message delivers the importance of representation in the culinary world and beyond, sparking vital conversations about culture, faith, and unconscious bias.
