Great British Bake Off judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson are reportedly not getting along, with tensions escalating during production of the new series. The 66-year-old cookbook author, who joined the Channel 4 show earlier this year after Prue Leith's departure, is said to find her co-star's helicopter commute 'all rather cringe', according to a source speaking to the Daily Mail.
Helicopter Commute Sparks Friction
Paul Hollywood, 60, commutes 120 miles from his home in Kent to the Bake Off set via his £500,000 Robinson Raven helicopter. The source described the helicopter as a 'status symbol' that makes him 'come across as a right berk'. While the rest of the crew, including Nigella, arrive by car, Paul's flashy entrance has reportedly irked the new judge.
'Put it this way: imagine if you’re super-rich Nigella and you see your co-star turning up in a helicopter, presumably to avoid the traffic and have a little bit of a show-off, you’re going to think it’s all a bit ghastly,' the insider said.
Personality Clash
The source also alleged that Paul and Nigella 'aren’t really getting on too well', with Paul reportedly 'put out' by Nigella's addition to the show. He enjoyed having Prue Leith as a co-judge, as she allowed him to 'be the top dog' and make all the jokes. Nigella, known for her outrageous innuendos and hilarious one-liners, is already coming out with memorable phrases, such as 'I love having an implement in each hand. It makes me feel busy' and describing a peanut butter cheesecake layer as an 'inner thigh wobble'.
Previous Judging Dynamics
Before Prue, Paul judged alongside Dame Mary Berry, who left the show in 2016. Mary later told the Radio Times: 'Paul and I had our differences about what was important to us but he is a brilliant bread-maker and I admired him a lot.'
Metro has reached out to Love Productions, Channel 4, Nigella Lawson, and Paul Hollywood for comment. The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4.
