What did you miss?
Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood has admitted his friends and family refuse to cook for him after his critique of a birthday cake left one in tears.
The TV star has been dishing out criticism and compliments – and the odd coveted handshake – on the baking show since it started in 2010. And he shared that when a friend whipped up their own birthday cake, they wanted him to step in and give it the Bake Off treatment.
He didn’t pull any punches when it came to delivering his verdict on the cake – and now nobody wants to bake for him.
What, how and why?
Hollywood was on The One Show on Wednesday, 4 June to talk about his new book, Celebrate: Joyful Baking All Year Round. He shared the story after presenter Alex Jones asked him: “Is it right that nobody, your friends or family, they don’t want to bake for you because you gave one friend a proper critique?”
“Well, yeah,” he confessed with a smile. “They brought a cake and it was their birthday and they said, ‘Can you judge this?’ It was a birthday cake and they had made it, weirdly, for themselves, which was a bit sad.
“But anyway, I looked at it and said, ‘That looks great, I love the way you have piped it and I love the way you have decorated it on top. Great, well done.’
“And they went, ‘No.’ There were a few people gathered, and they said, ‘Do it like you do it on Bake Off.’
“And I went, ‘It’s burned at the bottom, there is no flavour, it’s dipped in the middle, the cream is hanging off. But besides that it’s brilliant’.”
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“There were tears!” said the star, as Jones and co-host Vernon Kay looked shocked.
What else did Paul Hollywood say on The One Show?
Hollywood also dropped a hint about how future Great British Bake Off contestants might get one of his special handshakes, which he only awards to the very best dishes.
The star made a key lime pie for the presenters, and as they tucked in he revealed: “Any time it is baked in the tent it always gets a handshake because it is one of my favourites.”
“Good to know if any of us go on again!” said Jones. She took part in The Great Celebrity Bake Off in support of Stand Up To Cancer in 2020, but was beaten to the Star Baker title by Joe Sugg.
“Absolutely!” said Hollywood. “Well if you do that, honestly, you will get a handshake.”
The One Show airs at 7pm on BBC One on weekdays.
