Jamie Oliver reveals the one strict rule that saved his life

Publish Date
Wednesday, 9 January 2019, 2:00PM
Photo / Instagram

Photo / Instagram

Jamie Oliver found juggling his business empire left him feeling "sad for a bit too long".

The 43-year-old chef - who has children Poppy, 16, Daisy, 15, Petal, 9, Buddy, 8, and River, 2, with wife Jools - admitted juggling his various interests became too much and he was left feeling run down as he was surviving on just two or three hours of sleep a night.

He said: "I think I'm generally known for being very optimistic, bubbly and definitely glass half full.

"But one day I felt sad. And for a bit too long. It wasn't depression but I was a bit stupid. I wasn't sleeping much.

"I'd get home, see my wife Jools, cook a dinner. Then she would fall asleep because she's a mum, but I'm wired.

"The phone is pinging. Ping ping. I was going to bed at 1am consistently and getting up at 4am or 5am. It caught up with me."

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The 'Friday Night Feast' star knew things had to change and now makes sure he gets to bed by 10pm, in a cold room and wearing an eye mask to block out light.

He told The Sun newspaper: "I was studying nutrition and I realised the most powerful exercise in the gym is sleep. And the most powerful part of nutrition is sleep. Everything comes back to sleep."

"[Now] I'm like a baby, I have to set an alarm to go to bed. I'm 43 years old and I've got to put myself to bed. But I changed my habits and the difference is amazing."

In 2017, Jamie injected £13 million of his own money to save his Jamie's Italian chain - which still saw 12 out of 37 branches close - and months later, his Barbecoa restaurants went into administration, he closed down his Union Jacks eateries and stopped publishing his Jamie food magazine.

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And the chef admitted it was the lowest point in his life.

He said: "It was definitely the worst time in my life."

But the star remains positive and credits his wife for all the "good" things in his life.

He gushed: "She's my best mate. There nothing good I've ever done that hasn't come from how we are as a unit."

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Jools has admitted she's keen to have another child but Jamie thinks their brood is "enough" - though he won't completely rule out expanding their family again.

He said: "I'm going to try to control that one . . . but I have to try to control myself, which I'm not very good at.

"I do think five is enough but everyone keeps telling me that six is a round number."

Bang Showbiz. 

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