Paul Hollywood

Paul John Hollywood (born 1 March 1966) is a British television presenter, baker, and author, best known for being a judge on The Great British Bake Off.

Early life and education

Hollywood was born on 1 March 1966 in Wallasey, Cheshire, England. His father was a bakery proprietor. Hollywood attended The Mosslands School and later studied sculpture at the Wallasey School of Art before ultimately choosing to follow in his father's footsteps and becoming a baker.

Career

Hollywood began his career working as a baker in his father's bakery, before moving on to work at other bakeries in the UK, including the Dorchester Hotel, Chester Grosvenor and the Cliveden Hotel. He also worked in Cyprus, where he ran a bread-making business, and in the United States, where he worked as head baker at the San Diego bakery, Sensational Desserts.

In 2008, Hollywood became a judge on The Great British Bake Off, a role he has held ever since. In addition to his work on the show, he has written several cookbooks, including 100 Great Breads and Paul Hollywood's Bread. He has also presented several other television series, including Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds, Paul Hollywood's Bread and Paul Hollywood's City Bakes.

Personal life

Hollywood has been married twice. He married Alexandra Hollywood in 1998 and the couple have a son. They announced their separation in 2017 and their divorce was finalized in 2019. Hollywood married Melissa Spalding in 2021.

Awards and recognition

Hollywood has received several awards for his work as a baker and television presenter, including the Guild of Food Writers Award for Best Cookery Book for Paul Hollywood's Bread in 2014, and the Catey Award for Special Award in 2013.

Television career

In 2008, Hollywood became a judge on The Great British Bake Off (GBBO), a television baking competition show on BBC One. He was initially skeptical about joining the show, but was convinced by the show's producers to take on the role. The show quickly became a hit, and Hollywood's no-nonsense judging style and sharp criticism of the bakers' creations made him a popular and controversial figure. The show aired for seven seasons on the BBC before moving to Channel 4 in 2017, with Hollywood and fellow judge Mary Berry being replaced by Prue Leith and new co-host Noel Fielding.

In addition to his work on GBBO, Hollywood has presented and appeared in several other television series, including Paul Hollywood's Bread, Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds, The American Baking Competition and Paul Hollywood's City Bakes. He has also made guest appearances on other cooking shows, such as MasterChef Australia and The Great Australian Bake Off.

Writing career

Hollywood has written several cookbooks, including 100 Great Breads (2004), How to Bake (2012), Paul Hollywood's Bread (2013), Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds (2013), The Weekend Baker (2016) and A Baker's Life (2017). His books have been well-received and have been translated into multiple languages.

Controversies

Hollywood has been involved in several controversies throughout his career. In 2013, he was criticized for promoting a bread-making kit for British supermarket chain Waitrose, despite being a judge on a show that promoted home baking. In 2017, he was criticized for wearing a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party, which he later apologized for.

In 2020, Hollywood faced backlash for promoting a bread recipe on social media that used Japanese knotweed, an invasive plant species that is illegal to plant or cause to grow in the UK. He later apologized and removed the recipe from his website.

Philanthropy

Hollywood is a patron of The Hunger Project, a non-profit organization that aims to end world hunger by 2030. He has also supported several other charities, including Comic Relief and Children in Need.

In popular culture

Hollywood has been parodied in several comedy shows, including The Tracey Ullman Show and Dead Ringers. He was also referenced in the 2017 film Paddington 2, in which he makes a cameo appearance.

External links

Paul Hollywood at IMDb Paul Hollywood at IMDb

Paul Hollywood

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