Educating Yorkshire's Mushy Graduates Uni With Message To Life-Changing Teacher

Nearly 10 years after he captured the nation's hearts on Educating Yorkshire, Musharaf Asghar has graduated from university and given a special message for his teacher, Mr Burton.

In 2013, Asghar, known also known as Mushy, starred on the Channel 4 show, where he and his teacher Mr Burton worked to overcome the teen's stammer.

After seeing the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech, which sees King George VI overcome his stammer, Mr Burton used the same technique seen in the film to help Mushy with his English GCSE oral exam.

It's been six years since 'Mushy's emotional speech on 'Educating Yorkshire'.https://t.co/5bAWAR4wQ3 pic.twitter.com/FLHl4sRg7m

— LADbible (@ladbible) September 19, 2018

The teen then made a speech at the end of term assembly, and viewers across the nation were inspired by the emotional moment.

Now, Mushy has graduated from university, sharing pictures and a tribute to the incredible teachers that helped him get there.

"From sitting in the classroom and contemplating if life would ever accept me for having a stammer, to going to university and graduating. I can’t sum up in words how proud I am and how much my teachers changed my life. You can truly achieve anything you put your mind to!"

From sitting in the classroom and contemplating if life would ever accept me for having a stammer, to going to university and graduating. I can’t sum up in words how proud I am and how much my teachers’ changed my life. You can truly achieve anything you put your mind to! pic.twitter.com/KmVW1l474J

— Mushy (@MusharafAsghar) March 20, 2022

Mushy has suffered with a stammer since the age of five, after he had a severe asthma attack. In 2016 he told the Mirror that all he remembered from the experience was fainting and being taken to hospital.

"Doctors said the stammer could be psychological. I think it could be the shock of the attack," he said.

Mushy went on to explain what it was like to adjust to life after the attack, noting: :It was difficult to make friends. Kids didn’t want to hang around long enough to hear me speak," saying he tried to 'be the class clown' in response.

He then said that being part of the Channel 4 show helped him immensely, adding, "I can't thank them enough."

Massive congratulations. I continue to use the footage of your end of year speech to children at school to show them that courage and bravery comes in different ways to different people.

— kate evans (@kate261964) March 20, 2022

"I felt freedom when I stood there speaking, I’d always been trying to speak up, to ask questions, get my opinions out, and in that assembly hall I was able to show people who I actually was," Mushy said of his now-iconic speech.

Mushy now makes YouTube videos about stammering and is a public speaker, and his journey continues to inspire others.

One user replied to his graduation post: "Massive congratulations. I continue to use the footage of your end of year speech to children at school to show them that courage and bravery comes in different ways to different people."