Paul Hollywood packed on almost a stone while filming the newest series of the Great British Bake Off.
The 55-year-old found himself especially annoyed with the added weight as he had only just lost several pounds.
“I put on 12 bloody pounds in that tent,” he complained to Best magazine.
“Before I started, I lost a stone-and-a half. I was cycling and running, and getting quite fit.”
Prue Leith, 81, only gained a pound in comparison, trying all the baker’s delicious treats.
“I could go to the loo and drop more than that,” quipped Paul.
Paul cannot be blamed for wanting to scoff all the tasty treats, as the pair said the standards this year were extremely high.
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
“For one of my technical bakes we were faced with 12 not identical, but damn near perfect bakes,” says Prue.
After Paul gained weight during the first lockdown he quit alcohol and his 1,100 calories-a-day diet included eggs, soup, and naturally, bread.
Ahead of the new series beginning September 21 he issued a warning to viewers to be kind to the new contestants after previous stars were trolled online.
(Image: © Mark Bourdillon)
Last year, he came to the defence of 2020 finalist Laura Adlington, blasting the “disgusting behaviour” of vile trolls.
Paul said: “I had to come out last year in support of Laura, because it was out of order.
“It had gone out of control, and it is so easy in lockdown when people have got nothing else to do, and all they’re going to do is bombard someone they’re not particularly happy with, and you can’t feed into people like that, you’ve got to be really careful – and so I had to say something.
“I think ultimately, you’re always going to get sides, you know, it’s like football – you’re always going to get one side against another, but I think ultimately as long as you support them, and Bake Off do, I saw what was happening and I had to say something.”
He added: “It is difficult. Ultimately, I’ve had to deal with a lot of stuff, it is what it is, there’s a backlash and you get used to it to a point, but it still upsets me.
“I’m a judge on a baking show, I’m not a politician, I’m not anything else – I’m just a baker and I get bombarded with stuff that I shouldn’t be bombarded with.
“So, I’ve learned to live with it, however difficult it is, but it’s not fair on the bakers because they’re raw, they’re new, they’re not used to this, and you’ve got to be really careful.
“This can damage people, this really, really hurt people, and I think you’ve got to be really careful. There’ll be a backlash and you just don’t want it, it’s not fair.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
