TV favourite Holly Willoughby lends her support to Jamie Oliver in his new documentary, Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution, tonight (June 9).
The former This Morning star has previously opened up about her struggles with dyslexia in school. She once admitted that she felt “constantly embarrassed” and “shameful” at school because of her struggles.
In 2022, she called for screenings for dyslexia to be introduced at a much younger age to improve children’s education and learning. Now she’s joining Jamie Oliver as he calls for educational reform to ensure dyslexic children aren’t left behind.
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Holly Willoughby lends support to Jamie Oliver
In tonight’s film, 44-year-old Holly –a mum of three – is seen speaking on a film alongside other famous faces with dyslexia as it’s beamed onto the wall by a projector in a classroom.
I felt like I was working really, really hard with not getting much results. So I felt different.
“I definitely was terrible at spelling. And I knew that because in spelling tests I would always get poor results. I always knew that when I got my homework back, there would be red pen all over it where there would be ‘silly mistakes’,” she said.
Holly continued: “I felt like I was working really, really hard with not getting much results. So I felt different.”
Backing Jamie’s campaign, she added: “The school system is made for a certain type of learning and it’s so hard when you don’t learn like that. When you then write yourself off at school as being ‘non academic’, that does shape your future somewhat.”
‘I feel very emotional’
Holly has previously celebrated a school friend – who also has dyslexia – publishing her first book. “We met on our first day of school and eventually moved into our first flat in London together. We’ve been through a lot!” she said.
Holly then added: “Probably something that bonded us hugely was the fact we are both dyslexic. That’s why this post is even more special and actually writing this I feel very emotional. If I could go back and tell my school friend that on the 2nd of February 2021 to mark the begin of #childrensmentalhealthweek she would publish her first book, I’m not sure she’d believe it possible.
“You did it Hannah… so so proud of you. It’s a beautiful and important book.”
‘It’s a quiet scandal’
Previously speaking about the condition, Holly called for mandatory screening for dyslexia at primary schools. Writing on her wellbeing site Wylde Moon, the presenter highlighted that too many dyslexic children leave school with it “unidentified”. In addition, she also called for the government to introduce screening at a younger age.
Holly said: “It is a quiet scandal that an estimated four out of five dyslexic children leave school with their dyslexia unidentified. Meaning their potential is unrealised, their confidence undermined and they don’t achieve the qualifications they deserve.”
Meanwhile, Holly added: “It does not have to be this way. Cheap and easy computer-based screening tools now exist to help to identify dyslexia.”
‘Constantly embarrassed’
Holly has spoken about her struggles with dyslexia in the past. Talking on This Morning, Holly admitted that she felt “constantly embarrassed” in school.
She said: “For a long time in school I hated reading out loud because I could not read very well. I would get mixed up and I was constantly embarrassed. For me, because I’m not very good at spelling, for years I felt shameful about that.”
Read more: Holly Willoughby on presenting mistakes being down to her dyslexia
Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution is on Channel 4 tonight (June 9) at 9pm.
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