Quick Info
| Profession | Celebrity chef, baker and television personality |
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| Nationality | English |
| Date of Birth | 01/03/1966 |
| Age | 60 years |
| Birthplace | Wallasey, Cheshire, England |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
Latest News about Paul Hollywood
16/09/2026
Paul Hollywood returned as a judge for the 2026 season of The Great British Baking Show, which saw Nigella Lawson join him on the judging panel. Lawson replaced Dame Prue Leith, who stepped down after nine series. The new season premiered on Netflix with Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond continuing as hosts.
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Bio/Wiki
| Full Name | Paul John Hollywood |
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| Summary | Paul Hollywood is an English master baker and television personality, widely known as a judge on The Great British Bake Off since 2010. He trained in the family baking trade, became a head baker at leading London hotels, and later built a career in books and television. In 2026 he returned to the series alongside new judge Nigella Lawson. |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Art Education | Studied sculpture at Wallasey School of Art before entering baking |
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Personal Life
| Marital History | Married Alexandra Hollywood in 1998; the marriage ended in divorce in 2019. He married Melissa Spalding in 2023. |
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Relationships & More
| Spouses |
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Family
| Father | Baker who ran a chain of bakeries |
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| Mother | Sculptor |
| Children | 1 |
Career
| Early Career | Trained as a baker in the family business and became a head baker at five-star hotels, including The Dorchester in London, Cliveden and The Chester Grosvenor. He also worked at resorts in Cyprus. |
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| Business | Founded Paul Hollywood Artisan Bread Co. in 1999. |
| Publishing | Wrote 100 Great Breads (2005), which was named Top Bread and Pastry Book at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards that year, and later wrote the memoir A Baker's Life. |
| Television | Judge on The Great British Bake Off since 2010; also judged The American Baking Competition and The Great American Baking Show, presented solo series such as Bread and Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds, and judged Junior Bake Off with Mary Berry. |
| Recent Series | Judges The Great British Bake Off 2026 series alongside Nigella Lawson, who replaced Prue Leith as judge. |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. He initially studied sculpture at art school before deciding to join his father's baking business. | |
| 2. In 2008 he created an almond and Roquefort sourdough sold for £15 a loaf at Harrods. | |
| 3. He travelled through Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan researching ancient baking techniques, including baking in a desert encampment. |
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