Jamie Oliver has revealed an insight into his marriage with his wife Jools – 25 years after the couple tied the knot and admit that they’re stronger than ever
Jamie Oliver has opened up about “opposites attracting” as he and Jools celebrate their 25th anniversary. The celebrity chef and his wife when they were just 17, while going on a double date with a friend of his.
Ever since that date, the couple have remained together and this year, they celebrated their silver anniversary together. However, despite their blossoming relationship, they’re two extremely different people.
In a new interview, Jamie, 50, shed light on their marriage. “I wouldn’t be the first to say opposites attract,” he said. Speaking about their life at home, Jamie added: “We get on very well and we genuinely like each other, but we’re also very different. That can create a certain tension, but it also seems to work, and I feel very blessed to have had 25 years.”
Since their very first date, they’ve gone on to welcome five children, Poppy, 23, Daisy, 22, Petal, 16, Buddy, 14, and River, eight. In his Channel 4 Dyslexia documentary, Jamie revealed that like himself, some of his children have been diagnosed as neurodivergent.
During his interview with Good Housekeeping for their Christmas edition, he opened up about his own dyslexia diagnosis. Jamie was diagnosed earlier this year, at the age of 50 and admitted that at times he felt “stupid” at school, which led to a “total resentment for education”.
“We’re destroying the innocent optimism of kids,” he said. Jamie continued: “Everyone’s different and the school system isn’t structured to recognise that. Nature’s intention is to have variation and that has been explained to me by top neuroscientists. Both prisons and poverty are heavily weighted by dyslexia. [I want to fight for] neurodivergence and all its nuance [in classrooms].”
While appearing on BBC Breakfast earlier this year, Jamie became emotional as he reflected on his diagnosis. But the sudden wave of emotion “came out of nowhere,” with him admitting he had never intended to be so open and exposed. Speaking previously, he admitted that being aware of his children’s differences allow himself and Jools to be “better parents”.
Currently, Neurodivergent is a term which describes people whose brains operate differnetly, including conditions such as autisim, dyslexia and ADHD. But he recognises that discussions and attitudes surrounding neurodivergence are improving with generations.
Jamie says that people “didn’t know as much about our brains 30 years ago,” adding that while at school, he was often branded a “stupid dunce.” While most students nowadays recieve extra time in order to complete exams in school, this wasn’t the case for Jamie. “There were no strategies, just a bit of extra tutoring help – there was no robust dyslexic knowledge then,” he commented.
Currently, the NHS says dyslexia affects up to one in ten Brits, with the condition often causing difficulties with reading, writing and spelling. However, some are left at an advantage when it comes to problem-solving and being creative.
While filming his documentary on dyslexia, Jamie said he had never recieved such “emotional and overwhelming” responses from the public. He is now calling on the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, to ensure that that the education system works for every child, including those with dyslexia.
The full interview is in Good Housekeeping’s Christmas edition, on sale from 23 October.
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