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Glasgow Live
National
Siobhan Macdonald & Sophie Buchan

Gordon Ramsay says growing up in Johnstone with mum 'defined and inspired him'

Gordon Ramsay has praised his mum for helping him and his "drive" to do well in life, as well as becoming a chef, thanks to her hard-working ethos.

The Hell's Kitchen star recently revealed on a podcast that his mum, who he grew up with in Johnstone before moving to England at the age of nine, was a huge inspiration to him.

Speaking during Spencer Matthew's Big Fish podcast, according to the Daily Record, the Michelin starred chef, who found fame after a number of television shows including MasterChef and Hotel Hell, said his mum Helen was a huge inspiration for him, and wanted to succeed after seeing her work three jobs at a time.

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He said: “My mum was a big inspiration in terms of getting that workplace ethic in place" stating once he was established, his goal was to "change his ‘mum’s life".

The 56-year-old continued: “Growing up in multiple s***holes, you get one’s s**t together early. It's a big thing for a son to look after their mum and not having a great relationship with dad then, you know, focused all that attention on looking after her I think, because she went to hell and back looking after us and keeping us four together."

Growing up, Gordon lived on 15 council estates and went to multiple schools in his early years and never cooked to "get rich, or to be sort of successful" saying that he believes "the environment you come from defines you".

Gordon originally planned to be a footballer, and was even signed to Rangers FC under 18s team before a knee injury forced him out of the game. After that, the fiery chef enrolled in a hotel management course and found his passion for food.

Gordon recalled: “That was the turnaround. That was the moment when I thought: forget the football. You know, I'm going to be a chef", crediting The Banbury Roundtable – a local charity that helped with the costs of his kitchen equipment.

The TV chef also spoke about the impact his upbringing had on his brother Ronnie, who was jailed in 2007 for possession of heroin in Indonesia.

Gordon said on the podcast: "I think the environment you grow up in shapes you, growing up in multiple shit holes you get one's shit together early. I just wanted to better myself and get out of a situation that was unfortunate."

"The flip side to my success is my brothers addiction to heroin. It's bizarre isn't it you grow up on a council estate, several council estates and you're sharing this tiny bedroom in bunk beds and you're so close as brothers. We're just 14 months apart. How ones life can change dramatically."

He added: "I've got that stern reminder on a daily basis and remind myself every day on how different it could have been if I'd gone down a different road. I think the drugs were a consequence of being the blue eyed boy in the family and then being dropped by your dad."

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