Patrick Grant, a long-standing judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, has a notable romantic history that includes a relationship with a famous fashion designer. Grant, who joined the BBC show in 2013, previously dated Katie Hillier, a British fashion designer, from 2007 until 2015.
Meeting and Relationship with Katie Hillier
Grant and Hillier first met at a party in New York. In a 2012 interview with The Independent, Grant said: "When we got back to London, we hooked up pretty much straight away. We just seemed to have a tremendous amount in common." He praised Hillier's work ethic, noting: "She works constantly. I try to help her step out a bit and relax, she is the best person to share a country walk and a spot of bird-watching with." Hillier described Grant as "super switched-on" and said they "talk incessantly and argue a lot as well."
Split and Aftermath
After the split, Grant moved out of their shared home to a new flat in Gipsy Hill, South London. He described being in a "dating haze" and told The Times he was not on Tinder because "it's not very BBC Two." Unlike Paul Hollywood from The Great British Bake Off, Grant said he did not receive fan mail or gifts.
Current Relationship
Seven years later, Grant revealed he is dating a 40-year-old dentist. However, he expressed concerns about the difficulties of being in a public relationship. According to The Times, Grant said: "My last girlfriend [Hillier] was so badly stalked online while we were together, I'm loath to put someone else through that." He remains private about his new partner, adding: "Who am I to complain if audiences say I scrub up well - but I'd rather focus on work to be honest."
The Great British Sewing Bee airs Tuesdays at 8:00pm on BBC One.
