A popular cooking show may have come up with the best recipe yet for improved race relations in the UK.
As The Great British Bake Off began its sixth season, Nadiya Hussain was worried viewers would write her off as “a Muslim in a headscarf.” But by the time she was declared the 2015 season winner, millions of Britons were cheering her on.
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The show focuses on traditional British baking, which conjures certain stereotypes. Hussain not only broke that mold, but turned preconceived images of Muslims in the UK upside down with her elaborate cakes and pastries perfect for any British celebration or afternoon tea.
Over the course of the season, Hussain won over the audience with her wit, charm, modesty and amazing baking talents. One of her cakes, described as “a great piece of art” by a judge, was shaped like a peacock, with elaborate tail feathers.
A record 14.5 million people saw Nadiya win the award on the BBC television show.
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, founder of “British Muslims for Secular Democracy,” writing in the Daily Mail said Hussain had done more to further tolerance for Muslims and Asians “than countless government policies, think-tanks, initiatives and councils put together have achieved in the past half-century.”
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Over the course of the season, Hussain transformed from “a Muslim in a headscarf,” as she put it, to someone audience members could identify with. Awaiting the announcement of the winner in the video below — you can see her anticipation, and her tearful reaction as she takes the top honors.
(WATCH the BBC video below)
Read more in a long feature from the Daily Mail — Image: BBC video