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Why did Nadiya Hussain and husband Abdal marry twice? How 'Nadiya Bakes' star found love after tying the knot

Nadiya Hussain's biggest cheerleader has been Abdal, but that's not the reason why she married him twice

Nadiya Hussain has been in the limelight since 2015, a year where she took the United Kingdom by storm, thanks to her stint on 'The Great British Bake Off'. Everyone was rooting for this hijab-wearing baker who had secured a position in people's hearts with her delicious bakes, a bubbly and charming personality and exceptional oratory skills. Such was the level of her fame that even the then-prime minister David Cameron was not immune to it. He had started to watch the show after being introduced to it by his children and after a point, watching 'GBBO' had become a ritual of sorts that he followed with his children in tow.

Like many others who were completely taken by the British-Bangladeshi's super desserts, Cameron too was impressed to a point that he wanted to see her lift the winning trophy in the finale. Even after the show ended, Nadiya is still a favorite among viewers. But did you know that participating in the show was not her idea? 

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Had it not been for Nadiya's husband Abdal, the chef and baker who was dubbed a "national treasure" by audiences could never find it in her to be a part of 'GBBO' because she was reportedly struggling with crippling anxiety. Nadiya had once opened up about baking being the only activity that provided her the much needed calm, composure and momentary relief from her anxiety. Her husband decided to take matters in his hand and went ahead and registered her to be a part of the show, and the rest is history. 

Who is Nadiya Hussain's husband Abdal Hussain?

Just like Nadiya, Abdal too had been catapulted to fame after the 'GBBO' win. Nadiya had spoken very highly of him during the show and Abdal himself had the chance to feature on the finale episode and seeing him hoot and cry with joy after the winner announcement was one of the most precious moments on television. 

At the time of the show, he was a technical manager at Computer Sciences Corporation in Leeds and his LinkedIn still states that he works at the same organization. Despite his job, he fully managed to keep the Hussain household up and running single-handedly. Speaking about him during the show, Nadiya had said, “He’s definitely been my biggest support throughout all of this, and he’s had to take on a very different role at home." She further added, “He irons clothes now, feeds the kids and does the dishes. No relationship is 50/50, as someone always gives a little bit more. At the moment he’s the one giving a lot more," she added, according to a Sun report. 

When did Nadiya Hussain and Abdal Hussain get married?

Nadiya and Abdal got married in 2004. She was just 19 years old at that time and since this was an arranged marriage setting, the couple had only met each other once before they were forever bonded in matrimony. Speaking on 'Loose Women', Nadiya dished about their first meeting. 

"I didn’t see him very well but my sisters did and they went downstairs and said ‘oh my god he’s so good-looking’," she said before quickly adding, "But he’s got an enormous butt. Nadiya continued saying, "So now, when I met him for the first time, the first thing I wanted to look at was his butt. So I was like I’ve got to check if this arse is as huge as I think it is." Talking about the actual wedding ceremony, Nadiya revealed to The Sun that they were married according to Islamic traditions but never really did the vows. In the past, she had also revealed how it was not an easy feat to be married to somebody that she didn't know well. 

"I had an arranged marriage, and learnt you have to persevere and remember we are all human and all have faults," she had told Good Housekeeping during an interaction. "It’s tough – you are pretty much marrying a complete stranger," she added. However, she did eventually fall in love with Abdal, and Nadiya recalled that it was after the birth of their children. 

Why and when did Nadiya Hussain and Abdal Hussain remarry?

"Love is strange... it creeps up on you and then smacks you in the face. I didn't know my husband, and then we had two children, and then I fell in love with him," she told the outlet. The couple has two sons, Musa and Dawud, and a daughter named Maryam. 

Nadiya and Abdal remarried each other in December 2018. Announcing the same on her Instagram page with a picture of the ceremony, cake, and the ring, she wrote in the caption, "Nothing fancy just love. No frills. Just us. We did it again. I do. I always will. I would do it all over again." Abdal too took to his Twitter page and sharing Nadiya's update, he tweeted, "You can't run away from me now. I love you to infinity and beyond Xxx."

Catch Nadiya Hussain on Netflix's new show 'Nadiya Bakes' which premieres on February 12.