Jamie Oliver: I recorded my books to avoid writing

Jamie Oliver said he recorded his first books on a Dictaphone instead of writing them down because of his struggles with dyslexia.

The chef and author told the BBC he "always had a chip on my shoulder" after experiencing difficulties with reading and writing at school.

He has now published his first children's book for struggling readers.

In a sometimes tearful interview, he said it was his most important book "emotionally".

"It just feels like I've fully got out of the baggage of how kids feel when they're not made to feel like they can learn properly at school," he told the programme.

Oliver developed children's book Billy and the Giant Adventure by writing in 10-minute chunks over lockdown.

As the chef struggles with his focus due to ADHD and dyslexia, he said he developed his own formula to write it.

"It was that weird time in lockdown, and I started thinking, as a growing adult, how do I develop myself?" he said.

"I sat down for 10 minutes a day - which is as long as I can focus - and wrote it. Over the course of four years, I built 14 chapters and sent it to a publisher."

The chef said the idea came from the bedtime stories he would make up for his children.

"It's tricky because quite early they get better than you. So they go 'Dad, don't read a story, do it from your head'," he said.

"I recorded the stories because I kept forgetting what I did the night before because I was dreaming of gin and tonic," he joked.

Oliver said he has worked to make the book as accessible as possible, inspiring younger readers who may be put off reading because of their learning difficulties.

The book, published on Thursday, is printed in a dyslexia-friendly font, and will be released as an audiobook.

According to the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), sans serif fonts such as Arial and Comic Sans can appear less crowded for those with dyslexia.

Oliver is one of over six million people in the UK who have dyslexia, with one in ten thought to have the condition. The BDA says many don't know they're living with it.

Dyslexia affects people in different ways, including someone's coordination, organisation and memory.

Oliver said he was one of "many kids left by the wayside" at school because of his neurodiversity.

While he was not diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD at school, the chef was labelled as having special needs and was taught separately.

"I've always had a chip on my shoulder about it," he told the programme, emphasising why his latest book was so important to him: "For me, this was finally brushing the last chips off my shoulder."

The Dyslexia Association provides a wide range of services to directly assist and improve the lives of dyslexics of all ages. Visit their website here.