Nadiya Hussain says that having mental health issues have added to her struggles as a British Muslim woman.
The 33-year-old – who rose to fame after winning the sixth series of BBC’s ‘The Great British Bake Off’ in 2015 – has suggested her mental health issues have added to her societal struggles.
In an interview with Jonathan Ross, she said: "Everything that could go wrong, can go wrong for me because I’m brown and I’m a woman and I’m a Muslim so every time I try and do something there is always that element of, ‘You have to prove yourself.’
"Then on top of that, having mental health issues and then admitting to it, that in itself is really tricky…"
Nadiya revealed that she actually took part in the popular cooking competition because she has panic disorder and her husband encouraged her to do something challenging and independent.
‘The One Show’ contributor explained: "When I entered ‘Bake Off’, I didn’t do it because I wanted to, I did it because I have got panic disorder and I really struggle and my husband said, ‘I really want you to go off and do something without us…’ "
She also revealed that she has had mixed response from talking about her struggles on social media because while some fans support her, others think "she’s just another fad, she’s just another celebrity, it’s a bandwagon".
But she remained adamant that her battle with mental health is genuine and said it can affect everyone – including the rich and famous.
She added: "Mental health does not discriminate, it doesn’t matter how rich, how poor, what race, it is there. It’s as inevitable as death. Sorry but it’s true."
Nadiya Hussain has struggled with mental health
