Jamie Oliver’s 12-year-old son Buddy ‘lands own BBC cooking show’ after chef rejects ‘nepo baby’ suggestion

Pre-teen cook has amassed a substantial YouTube following

Jamie Oliver’s son Buddy will reportedly star in his own BBC show teaching other school-age children how to cook healthy meals.

The series will be fronted by the 12-year-old progeny of the popular celebrity chef, with the aim of teaching kids how to cook simple meals like omelettes, meatballs, or pancakes, following the success of his online series Cooking Buddies.

Buddy is already a prominent figure on the internet’s culinary scene, with his YouTube account having amassed more than 130,000 subscribers, casting off suggestions of being another “nepo baby”.

According to a report in The Sun, a source said: “Buddy has taken all of his dad’s experience on board and is about to put it into play with his own cookery show.

“He’s already had great success with content on YouTube and Instagram. Jamie’s fans have long been asking for his son to have his own show for their kids to enjoy.”

“Nepo baby” is a term used colloquially to refer to the children of famous or wealthy people whose careers benefit from nepotism.

Earlier this year Jamie spoke about his son’s cooking abilities and said he did not want Buddy to be a “nepo baby” and wanted him to “earn his trade” if he became a chef.

‘It’s not because he’s a special kid, it’s because kids are brilliant and when they repeat things a few times, they get good at it – whether it’s cricket, boxing or gymnastics, and he happened to have a mackerel in his hand, which is a cheap fish that’s bloody good for you, and he cooked it for his brother River, crispy skins 90 per cent of the way, and you can’t produce that content,’ he told the Daily Mail.

“When I ran the restaurant Fifteen, where most of our young people were unemployed, from prison or troubled backgrounds, we put these kids in front of amazing farmers and artisans, fishermen and producers. That’s what changes you and I’d definitely do that with Buddy, if he wanted to go down that route. He would earn his trade for sure.”

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Jamie’s School Dinners star Oliver, 48, is not expected to feature in the show.

Buddy first entered the public eye three years ago when he made an appearance on his father’s own YouTube channel.

Buddy Oliver in Sky Kids’s ‘Cook with Buddy’ (2021 Jamie Oliver Limited)

The Sun’s source added: “The series will see Buddy joined in the kitchen by other children as he teaches recipes and gives helpful tips to youngsters on how to get started with cooking.

“Buddy is the star of the show. Jamie is keen for his son to prove himself to telly audiences, not just live off the family name, so Buddy’s got to showcase his technical skills and presenting ability. But if his YouTube work is anything to go by, it’ll be natural for him.”

Buddy, is Oliver’s fourth child of the five he shares with his wife, former model and writer Juliette “Jools” Norton.

He previously hosted a series of shorts titled Cook with Buddy for Sky Kids.

The Independent has contacted a representative of Buddy and the BBC for comment.