Paul Hollywood facts for kids
Hollywood at the 2012 Liverpool Food and Drink Festival
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| Born | Paul John Hollywood 1 March 1966 Wallasey, Cheshire, England |
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| Cooking style | Baking |
| Education | The Mosslands School, Wallasey School of Art |
| Spouse |
Alexandra Hollywood
(m. 1998; div. 2019)Melissa Spalding
(m. 2023) |
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Television show(s)
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Award(s) won
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Paul John Hollywood MBE (born 1 March 1966) is a famous English celebrity chef and TV star. He is best known as a judge on The Great British Bake Off since 2010.
Paul Hollywood started working in his father's bakery when he was a teenager. He later became a head baker at many hotels in Britain and other countries. After working in Cyprus, he started appearing on British TV shows. He began with cooking shows but also explored other topics like cars.
Early Life and Baking Start
Paul Hollywood was born in 1966 in Wallasey, Cheshire. His father owned a bakery. Paul went to The Mosslands School and also studied sculpture at the Wallasey School of Art. However, he left art school to become a baker.
He first worked in his father's bakery in York. Then, he worked in other bakeries in Merseyside. He eventually became the head baker at famous hotels like The Dorchester and Chester Grosvenor and Spa. Later, he moved to Cyprus to work at two resorts there.
TV and Media Career
Paul Hollywood has appeared on many TV shows, including The Generation Game and This Morning. Since 2010, he has been a judge on the popular BBC show The Great British Bake Off. People like him as a judge because he is honest and fair. He judges only the finished baked goods.
His partnership with fellow judge Mary Berry was very popular. In 2016, The Great British Bake Off moved from the BBC to Channel 4. Paul Hollywood decided to stay with the show, while Mary Berry and the hosts moved on.
His book, 100 Great Breads, won an award in 2005 for being the "Top Bread and Pastry Book."
In 2008, Paul Hollywood created a special sourdough bread recipe using almond and roquefort cheese. This bread was known for being very expensive in Britain. He often speaks at food festivals, like the BBC Good Food Show. In 2013, he became a judge on The American Baking Competition in the United States.
Paul Hollywood also appeared in Sadie J, a children's TV show. In 2013, he hosted Paul Hollywood’s Bread on BBC Two. In this show, he shared recipes for different types of bread and some cakes. He also presented Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds, another cooking show on BBC One.
In 2015, he explored his family history on the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?. He learned that his grandfather fought in World War II. He also discovered that his great-great-great-grandfather was a post-runner in Scotland, delivering mail on foot over long distances.
In 2017, he presented Paul Hollywood's Big Continental Road Trip. He also appeared as a judge on The Great American Baking Show, which is another version of the Bake Off series in the US.
In 2019, Paul Hollywood made a comment about a cake on The Great British Bake Off that caused some complaints. He later apologized on social media. In November 2019, his series Paul Goes to Hollywood premiered. In this show, he traveled across America on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, exploring different foods.
In 2020, Paul Hollywood traveled across Japan to discover its amazing food in the Channel 4 series Paul Hollywood Eats Japan. Later in 2020, he was featured in The Great British Bake Off: Best Bits, which celebrated memorable moments from the show's first ten years.
In 2022, the series Paul Hollywood Eats Mexico premiered on Channel 4. In this show, he explored authentic local food on a culinary trip across Mexico. In May 2023, he appeared in a trailer for the Eurovision Song Contest when it was held in Liverpool.
Motor Racing Hobby
Paul Hollywood started racing cars in 2015. He made his debut in the Britcar Trophy Championship. He also competed at Le Mans in 2015. He has raced in other championships like the GT Cup and the British GT championship. In 2017, he won first place in his class at a Dunlop endurance race at Silverstone. He also came second in his first 24-hour race at the Circuit of the Americas.
Personal Life
Paul Hollywood met his first wife, Alexandra, in Cyprus. They had a son together. He later married Melissa Spalding in Cyprus in September 2023.
In 2024, he was given the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award recognized his contributions to baking and broadcasting.
