Jamie Oliver: New documentary set to tackle dyslexia and the UK school system - what we know so far

• Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver will star in a new documentary on dyslexia and the UK’s school system
• Oliver has publicly spoken out about his experience with the condition before, including leaving school with just two GCSEs
• He aims to find out what schools could be doing better for thousands of schoolchildren who share his condition

One of the UK’s most famous celebrity chefs is pivoting away from the kitchen in an upcoming documentary - about dyslexia and the school system.

Channel 4 has this month announced a new production featuring Jamie Oliver is in the works. It will take aim at whether the UK’s education system could be doing more to help the thousands of British schoolchildren with dyslexia, a learning difficulty that can make it difficult to read, write, or spell due to differences in how the brain processes language.

Oliver himself has publicly talked about his struggles with the condition, previously telling international charity Made by Dyslexia he was put into a special needs class - and treated like “a thick kid”.

But what exactly will the new documentary cover, and when will it be released? Here’s what we know so far:

What will the documentary be about?

In the hour-long show, Channel 4 said that the Naked Chef and 30-Minute Meals author would be delving into some of the challenges and issues that are still faced by an estimated 870 thousand children with dyslexia across Britain. According to the NHS, the condition is incredibly common - with as many as one in 10 people in the UK thought to have some degree of dyslexia.

“These children, trapped by an archaic education system, need a level playing field to unlock their self-confidence and potential,” the channel continued, saying that teachers, charities, parents and children all wanted a Government intervention. “They want an education system that stops children with dyslexia disengaging from education and the wider impact this can have.”

But it clarified that the show would be “a documentary of hope”. Despite struggling with dyslexia and leaving school with only two GCSEs, Oliver was an example of how we all can learn and flourish differently.

The programme will follow Jamie as he learns how the British school system could be reconfigured to celebrate diversity of thinking and what constitutes success. He will also be campaigning the Government to make the changes needed.

Channel 4 commissioning editor Tim Hancock, added: “There’s surely no more powerful or effective campaigner in the UK than Jamie, and now he’s turning his expertise to a subject extremely close to his heart, and in dire need of his help. I’m thrilled that Channel 4 is following him back on the campaign trail, using his reputation to influence the social issues he thinks are most important in the country right now.”

What has Oliver said about it so far?

“I just want to look 13 year old kids - who are struggling with reading - in the eye and say to them ‘you are NOT worthless’,” Oliver said in a press release for Channel 4.

“It's no secret I struggled at school, but I was one of the lucky ones. I knew I wanted to be a chef, so I had somewhere to go, catering school, where I could thrive. The kitchen genuinely saved me,” he continued.

“But not everyone is as lucky as me – what happens to those who don't know where to go? We can’t leave kids' futures up to luck. We need the education system to update, so everyone has the best possible chance in life.”

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When and where can I watch it?

Although it is expected that the documentary will be available to view on Channel 4 (and on its online on-demand streaming platform), exact details are yet to be released. This includes the exact date it will be broadcast.

However, according to Patoss (the professional association of teachers of students with specific learning difficulties), the documentary is set to air later this year.

Are you one of the approximately one in 10 people in the UK with dyslexia? How was your school experience? Let us know and share your story by leaving a comment below.