Delia Smith Shares Plans for Her First Christmas Away from Norwich City Duties
Delia Smith has opened up about her plans for her first Christmas since stepping down as a majority owner of Norwich City. Earlier this year, Mark Attanasio’s Norfolk Holdings group took over majority control of the club from the 83-year-old and her husband, Michael Wynn Jones.
Smith and Wynn Jones joined Norwich City’s board in 1996 and became majority shareholders in 1998. While their roles have changed, the couple remains connected to the club as honorary life presidents and will continue to be regulars at Carrow Road.
This holiday season marks a significant change for the celebrity chef, who, for the first time in nearly three decades, will celebrate Christmas without the responsibilities of running a football club.
It’s also a personal milestone for Smith, who revealed that, after 52 years, she won’t be cooking Christmas dinner. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s This Natural Life, she said:
> “In 52 years, this will be the first year I’m not doing it. I’m so excited. I’m going to my nephew and his wife for Christmas lunch. They live in Norfolk, so I’m really happy about that. We’re going to take a few things with us: mince pies, that sort of thing.”
Despite stepping away from the kitchen this year, Smith’s influence remains strong. Her cookbooks, Delia Smith’s Christmas and Delia’s Happy Christmas, continue to be festive staples for households across the country.
