Teenage baker slams BBC for title of show
Bake Off spin-off name ‘is not an original idea’
AN aspiring cake baker in Hayes who posts about her cooking journey under the name ‘Chronicles of Nadia’ said she had the title first not the BBC.
Nadia Atiq, who started baking as a hobby at the age of 14, set up Facebook and Instagram accounts under the name, which the BBC recently announced is the title of The Great British Bake Off spin-off show.
Spelt slightly differently as ‘Chronicles of Nadiya’, starring 2015 winner Nadiya Hussain, it is the title which has received much attention in the media with The Independent saying it has been given ‘an incredible working title’, while Huffington Post called it an ‘inspired title’ and ‘amazing’.
The 19-year-old teaching assistant from west London wants to make it clear that she came up with the name first and has been using it ‘for years’, slamming any claim it is an ‘original’ and ‘unique’ title.
Miss Atiq who has been selling cakes since 2011 and occasionally posts tips on her Facebook page, said: “It’s not as original as the [BBC] say. And even if they did not take it from me, they could have at least made sure nobody else was using that name. I do feel they should have researched better.
“I did not patent my name because I was only 14 at the time. I didn’t think I’d have to. I was just baking and selling for fun because it was a hobby. I never thought that somewhere down the line The Chronicles Of Nadia would become a TV show.”
She is a big fan of the star baker who has been on a whirlwind journey since winning the show last year, appearing as a regular on The One Show and as a guest presenter on Loose Women, writing a weekly column for The Times magazine and a monthly column for Essentials Magazine, and was given the honour of baking The Queen’s 90th birthday cake.
Miss Atiq added: “I am not against Nadiya Hussein in any way. I love her and what she does. I think my bakes are nothing compared to hers.
“She makes amazing cakes and I can only pray for mine to turn out anything like hers. And I’m happy that there is a Nadi(y)a out there who is doing it right!
“I admire that she is showcasing her talents and will be a role model for lots of young Muslim girls, but I do wish the BBC did not claim to be original and unique when they didn’t do their research properly and are now using someone else’s name for their show.”
It was a friend who alerted her to the name being used for a TV show and, with no trademark on the name, it can legally be used by the BBC.
But Miss Atiq will not be stopped as she continues to rise to the challenge and says ‘anyone who knows me knows about my cakes’.
The BBC have not commented as the Gazette went to press.