Paul Hollywood

Paul Hollywood comes from a long line of Bakers. Originally trained as a sculptor, his father persuaded him to join the family business. He went onto become head baker at some of the most exclusive hotels, including Cliveden, The Chester Grosvenor and The Dorchester, gaining a reputation as an innovator and one of the country’s finest artisan bakers.

Following his apprenticeship and subsequent success, Paul took the opportunity to travel extensively through Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan, visiting remote villages discovering and researching ancient techniques in baking, and, on one occasion, travelling to a Bedouin encampment and baking in the desert on an upturned cooking pot.

Paul began his media career on Carlton Food Network and Taste where he co-presented two TV series alongside James Martin. ​He has been a judge on The Great British Bake Off since its launch and has judged celebrity versions for Sport Relief, Comic Relief and Stand Up 2 Cancer. He is also a judge on the US version of Bake Off, The Great American Baking Show, which aired on ABC and most recently on Netflix. His own series’ followed: including Pies and Puds; Bread and two extended series of Paul Hollywood City Bakes. Car Nation was a nod to his love of classic cars and in 2020 his food travelogue Paul Hollywood Eats Japan launched in 2020 on Channel 4.

In 2005, he published a best-selling book ‘100 Great Breads’ which has been published in ten countries and seven languages, and was voted ‘Top Bread and Pastry book’ by the Gourmand Academy. His second book ‘How to Bake’, published by Bloomsbury, came out in summer 2012 and quickly went on to the top of the bestseller lists. The book to accompany his Bread series was published in February 2013, with his Pies and Puds book hitting shelves in October 2013 to coincide with the programme of the same name. Paul Hollywood’s British Baking came out in October 2014, The Weekend Baker was published in 2016 and in 2017 his book A Baker’s Life was published.

Paul makes regular contributions to The BBC Good Food Magazine, Olive Magazine, Waitrose Magazine and has written for both The Observer and The Telegraph.

Paul advises and trains at corporate level, working extensively with the Flour Advisory Board, as well as hosting and presenting large demonstrations and award ceremonies.

In 2014 Paul undertook his first live tour, Paul Hollywood – Get Your Bake On! which saw him hosting an evening of live baking, comedy and fun at theatres across the country.