Jamie Oliver says working with friends lost him MILLIONS as it's revealed he's worth £90m LESS than three years ago (but he won't rule out baby number six despite the drop in fortune)

  • Jamie Oliver says he has 'lost loads' after 'mixing business with pleasure'
  • The Naked Chef says he has lists of friends who he shouldn't have worked with
  • He is still worth an estimated £150 million, and has just published a new book 

By IMOGEN BLAKE FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

He's one of the best known chefs in the country, with dozens of cookbooks and TV shows to his name, as well as his ongoing campaign for healthier food for children.

But despite being worth an estimated £150 million, Jamie Oliver has admitted that a series of unprofitable projects with friends cost him a large chunk of his fortune.

The 42-year-old is now reportedly worth £90 million less than he was in 2014 due to a series of 'poor collaborations,' not saving anything and the 2008 global recession. 

Jamie Oliver is constantly on a one-man mission to get the country - and its children - to eat better to curb childhood obesity

Jamie Oliver is constantly on a one-man mission to get the country - and its children - to eat better to curb childhood obesity

'I lost loads,' the father-of-five, who first rose to fame in 1999 with his TV show The Naked Chef, confessed to Cass Chapman at the Daily Telegraph.

'I basically squirreled nothing away, I built no safety and I had a slightly weird view of the recession.'

He added that he has 'lists of friends that I shouldn’t have collaborated with,' warning: 'Never mix business and pleasure.'

But the chef, who has been married to wife Jools for 17 years, has now learned from his mistakes, and his empire is only growing.

Jamie Oliver with wife Jools (centre) and their newborn River Rocket last August, along with their children (from left to right): Daisy Boo Pamela, Petal Blossom Rainbow, Buddy Bear Maurice and Poppy Honey Rosie

Jamie Oliver with wife Jools (centre) and their newborn River Rocket last August, along with their children (from left to right): Daisy Boo Pamela, Petal Blossom Rainbow, Buddy Bear Maurice and Poppy Honey Rosie

The cookbook author has had more than 30 cooking programmes on TV, not to mention his 48 restaurants in the UK and his 19 cookbooks.

And of course, he is still campaigning for free school meals and healthier food for children across the world after his successful mission to improve the quality of school dinners in the UK, for which he worked with several governments to spark change.

For his next campaign, he wants to work with the 'best cancer dietician in the country' to help those suffering from the disease to eat better.

He even hints at the possibility that eating the right foods could help fight the disease.

Jamie Oliver has children of all ages, from his two eldest daughters, who are teenagers, to his children including Buddy Bear (left) and Petal Blossom (right) and newest arrival baby River Rocket (centre)

Jamie Oliver has children of all ages, from his two eldest daughters, who are teenagers, to his children including Buddy Bear (left) and Petal Blossom (right) and newest arrival baby River Rocket (centre)

Jamie and his wife Jools haven't ruled out a sixth child. They welcomed the arrival of their fifth, River Rocket, last August

Jamie and his wife Jools haven't ruled out a sixth child. They welcomed the arrival of their fifth, River Rocket, last August

He said: 'If you start joining it [healthy eating] with technology, the possibilities are endless.' 

With such a busy schedule, it's hard to imagine how he finds the time to be a doting father of five to Poppy Honey, 15, Daisy Boo, 13, Petal Blossom, seven, and Buddy Bear, six, with the youngest, River Rocket, only born last August.

But incredibly, the chef has not ruled out the possibility of having a sixth, despite only giving himself a 'six out of 10 as a dad to teenagers'.

He said: 'I think at 42 you’re pushing your luck. I haven’t got any more room in the car, so we’d have to buy a bus. 

'But Jools would love me to say "never say never." She’d tell me not to rule it out.' 

For now though, the chef is concentrating on his newest book, out today, called 5 Ingredients Quick & Easy Food.

It's a recipe book where every dish only uses five ingredients, with a focus of course on cooking healthy and nutritious meals. 

But will a recipe book on fighting cancer with a good diet be next? 

Jamie Oliver

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