Paul Hollywood

Paul Hollywood is a master baker with a long career as a head baker, he has since become famed as a judge on the Great British Bakeoff and spin-off shows as well as hosting his own solo shows on baking

Birthday: 01 March 1966

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Paul Hollywood was born in Wallasey, which at the time of his birth was in Cheshire (now Merseyside). His mother was a sculptor and his father a baker, from a long line of bakers, with his own chain of bakeries across the nation called Bread Winner. Hollywood studied sculpture in his teenage years, hoping to follow in his mother’s footsteps, a look into his wallet told him that maybe his father’s were better. His father re-emphasised this point by offering him £500 to cut off his long hair and start work in his bakery, an offer Hollywood couldn’t refuse. After his apprenticeship, Hollywood took work as head baker at several high-class hotels, including Cliveden House, the Chester Grosvenor, and the Dorchester. Following this, he took some time to travel (as he puts it) Cyprus and the Middle East, and it was in Cyprus where he worked at a couple of resorts as a baker.

His media career began in the early 2000s, working alongside James Martin on some television shows including Taste. But it was in 2010 that his career really kickstarted on the show we’ve all heard of, the Great British Bake Off, on which Hollywood was one of two judges – initially alongside Mary Berry. Hollywood became known for his straight-to-the-point matter-of-fact method of judging, drawing comparisons to Simon Cowell and Craig Revel Horwood, however, he disputes this claiming he is always fair with the contestants and only judges them on the produced baking, rather than the personality as the others do. Of the original judges and hosts, Hollywood was the sole member to move with the show to Channel 4 in 2017, a cause of debate amongst the loyal fan-group that the show had amassed. He is and was also the judge on the Great British Bake Offs charity specials for Sport Relief, Comic Relief, and Stand Up To Cancer as well as the sister show, The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice.

Hollywood has also appeared on other TV programs, notably showcasing his love of fast cars, baking shows, travelling Japan, and a memorable episode of Who Do You Think You Are? The baker with the icy eyes has released several cookery books, one of which, 2005’s 100 Great Breads was awarded the Top Bread and Pastry Book by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

He is no stranger to controversy, hitting the front pages of tabloid newspapers for issues in his private life surrounding divorce from his ex-wife. A source of mirth on shows he appears on with comics, like the Great British Bake Off SU2C’s infamous Lee Mack joke.

"‘Bread is enjoyment. It’s sharing with everybody. There’s something very special in that. When I was growing up, in church the breaking of the bread was symbolic. Why did Christ represent himself as bread?’"

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Paul Hollywood's Books

Paul Hollywood has a number of books out, predominantly recipe books

A Baker's Life
A Baker's Life
Published 2017
The Weekend Baker
The Weekend Baker
Published 2016
Paul Hollywood's Bread
Paul Hollywood's Bread
Published 2013
How to Bake
How to Bake
Published 2012
100 Great Breads
100 Great Breads
Published 2005

FAQs

Is Paul Hollywood married?
Paul Hollywood divorced from his wife in 2019 and has not remarried since

Who does Paul Hollywood race for?
Paul Hollywood has done some racing for Aston Martin in the past, alongside his baking job

Is Paul Hollywood a scouser?
Not really, he is from Wallasey, which is in Wirral, so he would be a ‘wools’ more accurately

Paul Hollywood's TV Shows

Paul Hollywood has appeared in numerous TV roles both as a baker, a judge, and a TV personality (mostly in car and motorbike shows)

The Great British Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C
2021 - 2021

The Great British Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C

Paul Hollywood Eats Japan
2020 - 2020

Paul Hollywood Eats Japan

The Great Holiday Baking Show
2017 - 2020

The Great Holiday Baking Show

Paul Hollywood: A Baker's Life
2017 - 2017

Paul Hollywood: A Baker's Life

Paul Hollywood's Big Continental Road Trip
2017 - 2017

Paul Hollywood's Big Continental Road Trip

Paul Hollywood City Bakes
2016 - 2017

Paul Hollywood City Bakes

Who Do You Think You Are?
2015 - 2015

Who Do You Think You Are?

Licence to Thrill: Paul Hollywood Meets Aston Martin
2015 - 2015

Licence to Thrill: Paul Hollywood Meets Aston Martin

The Great British Bake Off: an Extra Slice
2014 - 2020

The Great British Bake Off: an Extra Slice

The Great Comic Relief Bake Off?
2013 - 2015

The Great Comic Relief Bake Off?

The American Baking Competition
2013 - 2013

The American Baking Competition

Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds
2013 - 2013

Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds

Paul Hollywood's Bread
2013 - 2013

Paul Hollywood's Bread

The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
2012 - 2016

The Great Sport Relief Bake Off

The Great British Bake Off
2010 - 2021

The Great British Bake Off

Taste
2005 - 2005

Taste