Jamie Oliver has shared how reaching his 50th birthday has given him a fresh perspective on life, saying he’s focused on surrounding himself with positivity and cutting out “mood hoovers.”
The celebrity chef and campaigner says that hitting the milestone made him stop and take stock of where he is and who he wants to be around for the next chapter.
“Turning 50 definitely felt like half a century,” he said. “I’m in a place of real gratitude, though, and I think if you’re going to have a good go at the second half of your life, you have to edit away all the noise. Just be with lovely people. I’m avoiding negative people — ‘mood hoovers’ — and getting better at saying no.
“I still feel 25, but I look in the mirror and I’ve got grey hair powering through!” he added to Good Housekeeping UK.
Oliver shot to fame in 1999 with The Naked Chef, which turned him into a household name almost overnight. Over the past 25 years he’s fronted dozens of TV series, published a string of best-selling cookbooks and campaigned for healthier school meals and better access to nutritious food.
Now, as he reflects on his fifth decade, Oliver says he’s found contentment in slowing down and appreciating what he has — particularly at home.
This year also marks 25 years of marriage to his wife Jools, with whom he shares five children. He and his other half appear on the cover of the Christmas issue, which will also launch as part of a new TV advertising campaign — the first in the magazine’s 103-year history.
Speaking about the secret to their lasting relationship, Oliver said: “I wouldn’t be the first to say opposites attract. We get on very well and we genuinely like each other, but we’re also very different. That can create a certain tension, but it also seems to work, and I feel very blessed to have had 25 years.”
Elsewhere in the chat, Oliver also open up about the importance of his dyslexia campaign and ongoing mission to improve understanding of neurodivergence — something he has spoken about passionately in recent years.
The full interview is in Good Housekeeping’s Christmas edition, on sale from October 23.
