Paul Hollywood has had a colourful love life. (Image: Getty)
Paul Hollywood’s romantic history is as varied as a recipe book, featuring everything from an intense first love to a fair share of scandal and regret.
Nowadays, the Great British Bake Off star – the last remaining member of the original 2010 presenting and judging team – has found his happily ever after. Paul has been relishing in his first year of marital bliss with pub owner Melissa Spalding.
Last September, Paul, 58, tied the knot with Melissa, 40, at a luxurious hotel situated on the pristine Akamas peninsula in north-west Cyprus. Fellow Bake Off judge Prue Leith was among the guests.
The couple began dating in 2020. At that time, Paul had recently divorced his first wife Alexandra on grounds of adultery.
In 1996, Paul, 58 met his first wife while serving as head baker at the posh five-star Annabelle Hotel in Paphos, Cyprus. Prior to this, he held the position of head baker at several prestigious hotels, including The Dorchester and Clivedon Hotel, reports .
:
Paul Hollywood and his first wife Alexandra met in 1996. (Image: Getty Images)
Alexandra reminisced about her charming encounter with Paul back in 2013, telling Mail Online: “He was a fantastic-looking guy. He was absolutely lovely with piercing blue eyes and I thought: ‘Wow!’ I didn’t even look at the bread.”
She gushed over their whirlwind romance, saying: “We fell in love very quickly. Two weeks was all it took – we both knew. Paul was lovely, he made me the most wonderful pastries for breakfast. Show me a woman who doesn’t like chocolate!”
Their marriage took place two years later in sunny Cyprus, marking the spot where he also wed his second wife. In 2001, they celebrated the birth of their son Josh.
As the Bake Off series made its debut on BBC1 in 2010, Paul became an overnight sensation. With prior stints on television making occasional baking appearances, he never anticipated the immense success that would follow after auditioning to star alongside the respected food writer .
Don’t miss… [NEWS] [NEWS]
Paul Hollywood rose to fame in 2010. (Image: Getty)
Bake Off soared to great heights, bolstered by the strong team of Paul, Mary, along with presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. Paul, now dubbed as the silver fox, quickly amassed a legion of adoring female fans.
In a heartfelt confession dating back to a 2012 interview with The People newspaper, the TV personality divulged the whirlwind of marriage proposals landing in his mailbox, and how he turned to MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace and John Torode for counsel amidst the surge of stardom.
He shared: “I’ve known John for 14 years and Gregg for 10 years.”
His sincerity did not end there as he continued: “I really value their friendship, particularly this year when the fame side was overwhelming. It really hit me hard. I didn’t know what was going on. It’s been great to talk to them because they went through a similar thing. They told me just keep down to earth and normal but my family will never let me be anything else.”
Paul Hollywood with US judge Marcela Valladolid. (Image: Instagram)
Despite being besieged by adulation from fans, Paul managed to steer clear of temptation, yet his growing global renown proved to be trying, especially while filming abroad. While co-judging on the US series The American Baking Competition in 2013, he infamously strayed from his wife Alexandra with his co-star Marcela Valladolid.
This dalliance spelt the end for Paul and Alexandra’s relationship, accompanied by deep remorse from Paul. Bearing his soul to Radio 5 Live’s Richard Bacon, Paul lamented: “I did have an affair in America with my co-judge and it was something which… it was the biggest mistake of my life, because actually I still love my wife.”
Despite a fleeting reconciliation and attempts to mend their fractured marriage, the couple ultimately separated permanently in 2017.
Paul struck up a friendship with young barmaid, Summer Monteys-Fulham, then 23, at the pub where he arranged a birthday party for his estranged wife.
Their romance was confirmed in the same month that Paul and Alex separated, leaving Alex incensed as she alleged her husband had begun an affair with Summer prior to their split. It was at this point that Alex sought a divorce on grounds of adultery, with a source revealing she was “fed up of the lies”.
Paul Hollywood dated Summer Monteys-Fullam. (Image: summermonteysfullam/Instagram)
Paul and Melissa tied the knot in Cyprus last month (Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
In an interview with Mail Online, Summer insisted her relationship with Paul started “way after his marriage ended”.
The relationship came to an end shortly after the divorce was finalised, with Summer expressing regret over her involvement with a celebrity.
Over the years, some contestants have been as captivated by the former lothario baker’s blue eyes as his female fans. In 2017, he was seen apparently kissing 2016 winner Candice Brown at a London event.
Paul reportedly met his new bride Melissa, 39, at her family’s historic Chequers Inn pub in the idyllic Kent village of Smarden. A source disclosed to The Sun in November 2022: “Paul proposed some months ago, but they have been keeping it very quiet since then. It’s only in the past month that she has begun wearing her engagement ring out in public and sharing their news with friends.”
A friend of the couple shared with Mail Online that their nuptials were “very stylish”, adding: “Paul is very close to the hotel owners and they made sure that everybody had a great time. He loves Cyprus and it was a wonderful setting for what was a beautiful occasion.”