Paul Hollywood

Paul Hollywood has risen faster than a tasty baguette to become one of TV's most popular master bakers. As a judge alongside Mary Berry on BBC1's The Great British Bake Off, Paul's calm, collected and yet passionate pronouncements on the efforts of contestants have helped the show to become a smash hit with audiences.

Originally trained as a sculptor before his father persuaded him to join the family baking business, Paul went on to become head baker at some of the most exclusive hotels in the country, including Cliveden, The Chester Grosvenor and The Dorchester, gaining a reputation as one of the country’s finest artisan bakers along the way.

Having reached the peak of his profession, Paul took the opportunity to travel extensively through Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan, visiting remote villages to discover ancient techniques for baking bread, and, on one occasion, travelling to a Bedouin encampment and baking in the desert on an upturned cooking pot. On his return to the England, he launched the Paul Hollywood Artisan Bread Company, a thriving business that now supplies Waitrose and other top retailers with Paul's own branded bread.

Paul began his media career in 2002 on Carlton Food Network and Taste, where he co-presented two TV series with James Martin. He has since appeared in guest spots on a number of television programmes, including The Generation Game, The Heaven and Earth Show, This Morning and The Alan Titchmarsh Show.

In addition to being a judge on The Great British Bake Off and Junior Bake Off, Paul has also judged celebrity versions for Sport Relief and Comic Relief, all alongside Mary Berry. In 2013, he appeared as a judge on the new US version of Bake Off, which aired on CBS. Also in 2013, his own series, Paul Hollywood's Bread, was broadcast in the UK on BBC2.

Paul is a regular contributor to The BBC Good Food Magazine, Olive Magazine, Waitrose Magazine and has also written for The Observer, The Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph. He has also penned three successful recipe books.

In August 2015, Paul was featured on the BBC genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?

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. To book him for your Event, contact a Prime Performers Booking Agent via the online booking enquiry form or alternatively call 020 3500 3331 for further information.