Jamie Oliver has said he wants his children to struggle despite his son landing a TV deal at the age of 13.
The celebrity chef has five children with his wife Juliette Norton and has spoken of wanting them to learn skills in their formative years to cope with the challenges of life.
But while he doesn’t want his kids to have success handed to them on a plate it has not stopped Buddy Bear gaining 133,000 subscribers on YouTube and his own BBC show.
“I think confidence, worry and anxiety are all part of a cauldron of different emotions that challenge us,” Oliver told Essex Life magazine.
“And I think that they can present themselves when you’re young, as things that hold you back. But at the same time, as you get older, they provide a tension that makes you do your best work.
“Life’s not supposed to be linear or easy. I want my kids to struggle as much as possible, in a safe and controlled way. If it’s too easy, it’s really vanilla.”
Buddy Bear’s show Cooking Buddies has been showing on the CBBC channel since July.
The ten part series follows Buddy Bear as he is joined by his dog Conker as well as various young guests who range from karate black belts to a youth footballer.
Oliver, 49, has said previously how having a graft and work ethic can transform a life, having himself left school with just two GCSEs.
He said: “Being able to cook is such an important skill for kids to learn, it’s up there with reading and writing, so I’m really proud of Buddy for making this brilliant show that encourages others to give it a go.
“Full of easy, big-flavour recipes that will keep children happy and healthy, I hope it inspires people to get in the kitchen and try cooking for themselves.”
His other children are Poppy Honey, 22, Daisy Boo, 21, Petal Blossom, 15, and eight-year-old River Rocket.
