We’ve always had a soft spot for this broadcasting beauty – she did grace the cover of our summer 2011 issue after all – but in recent weeks, it’s come to our attention that Radio 1’s Jameela Jamil is probably the best human being on the planet. That’s right, Harry Styles. She’s even better than you.
So we thought, in a rush of ‘you’re my favourite person EVER, Jameela’ madness (we’re not creepy, we’re friendly), that we’d share with the world why we think Ms Jamil is so darn amazing…
1. She’s currently larking about dressed as a chicken
Yep, that’s right. Jameela’s in the midst of strutting around London town in a giant chicken costume, all in the name of Comic Relief. The telly star vowed that she’d don the hideous yellow outfit – a far cry from her usual stylish wardrobe – for one day for every £1,000 she raised during Comic Relief’s Twitter Million campaign. True to her word, she’s doing it, attending celeb-packed parties and just walking down the street dressed as a farmyard animal. Jam – we salute you.
Second night in a row dancing myself to death in this Bikram-esque chicken suit. Take me out the oven. This chicken’s done. 8 days left!
— Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) March 23, 2013
2. She’s really smart
We’ve been chortling at Jameela’s witty Twitter feed for yonks, and her blog proves that there is so much more to this girl than flicky eyeliner and a fringe. Her recent post on the mind-boggling antics from the Daily Mail said everything we – and Alastair Campbell and Caitlin Moran and a million other people – wanted to say about the transgender teacher driven to the brink by the press. And we can’t thank her enough for getting those thoughts out there.
3. She’s got a totally refreshing approach to body image
“Yes I have a lazy eye, yes I have stretch marks and yes I have an a***! So I’m built for comfort not for speed… SUE ME!” Jameela is our new inspiration. Happiness first, conforming to what the pages of fashion magazines say we should look like comes second. See also dressing as a chicken for 16 days.
4. She’s doing it for the ladies
When we think of Jameela Jamil, we think ‘girl power’. Not in a cheesy Spice Girls way, though – in a really smart, switched-on way. This year, she did it for the girls by becoming the Official Chart Show’s first female solo host. She also added her name to Cosmopolitan’s F-word campaign last year, promoting equality between the sexes. You go, girl!
5. She’s proof that it gets better
Jameela’s admitted that she was the victim of horrific bullying at school, targeted for being chubby, mixed race and a bit geeky. These days, she’s got one of the coolest jobs going on Radio 1, she was a part of one of the biggest teen TV shows in the country, she manages bands, has a pretty amazing wardrobe and gets gushy posts like this written about her – fiver says those horrible bullies feel pretty stupid now.
6. She’s bloomin’ gorgeous
We thought we’d leave the obvious until last. Yep, Jam is a stunner. If it weren’t for all of the reasons above, we’d probably hate her. But we can’t. Because she’s just SO COOL.
Jameela, if you aren’t completely freaked out by this sudden outpouring of adoration, stop by Source HQ and we can get to work on being best friends, yeah? See you for a cuppa soon.
Catch Jameela on the Official Chart Show, Sundays from 4pm on BBC Radio 1.
Image courtesy of BBC/Ray Burmiston
