Paul Hollywood : bread, buns and baking : the unauthorised biography of Britain's best-loved baker

Paul Hollywood is without doubt the man of the moment in British baking. His luxurious dough recipes have been single-handedly responsible for the mass ignition of ovens across the UK since the advent of The Great British Bake Off. Admired for his straight-talking style and amazing technical knowledge, Paul's judging partnership with Mary Berry has been described as one of television's best ever. Having made the cross-Atlantic jump to judge in The Great American Baking Competition, it's clear that there is no stopping the magnetic Liverpudlian. And make no mistake: Hollywood has the magic touch in the kitchen to back up his fame, with his artisan baking business even supplying a 15lb loaf to Harrods. But then, he was always destined for great things. Descended from a line of illustrious bakers, Hollywood originally trained as a sculptor, giving him the deftly skillful hands his viewers delight in watching. From kneading dough as a 17-year-old apprentice to his father to working as head baker at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel, his professional career is legendary. This edition is fully updated to include the inside story of Paul's scandalous affair with American Baking Competition host Marcella Valladolid and subsequent reconciliation with his wife. Paul Hollywood is without doubt the man of the moment in British baking. His luxurious dough recipes have been single-handedly responsible for the mass ignition of ovens across the UK since the advent of The Great British Bake Off. Admired for his straight-talking style and amazing technical knowledge, Paul's judging partnership with Mary Berry has been described as one of television's best ever.Having suffered a rocky period in the USA - both professionally and personally - Hollywood is now back in England, once again enjoying the astounding success of The Great British Bake Off and his own touring shows. What's more, with his marriage fully reconciled and his wife Alexandra enjoying cooking success of her own, the sky truly is the limit for Paul Hollywood.But then, he was always destined for great things. Descended from a line of illustrious bakers, Hollywood originally trained as a sculptor, giving him the deftly skilful hands his viewers delight in watching. From kneading dough as a 17-year-old apprentice to his father to working as head baker at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel, his professional career is legendary.For the first time, this compelling biography sheds light on the man behind the counter, from his youth on Merseyside to the sunny climes of Cyprus and beyond. Journalist A S Dagnell delves deep into Paul Hollywood's story and charts the ingredients that have shaped this enigmatic character into the dazzlingly talented king of British baking. 'This is just the story of some rods, and the places they take you to. It begins with surf-casting on the New Jersey coast when I was 13, and carries on to such scenes as flyfishing the headwaters of the Kuban in the upper Caucasus, and casting for rainbow trout in the rivers of southern Chile, with a volcano erupting every ten minutes within plain view.'There is not a record, or even a very big fish in it; and some of the finest things fishing has given me I have found beside the steams of the West Country in England. Chiefly, I love my rods because of their associations, the places they have brought me to. They have been part of my kit when I travel, for many years.'This magic wand has revealed to me some of the loveliest places on earth. That is the story of this book.'– Negley Farson Paul Hollywood's luxurious dough recipes have been singled-handedly responsible for the mass ignition of ovens across the UK since the advent of The Great British Bake Off. Descended from a line of illustrious bakers, Hollywood originally trained as a sculptor, giving him the deftly skilful hands his viewers delight in watching. From kneading dough as a 17-year-old apprentice to his father to working as head baker at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel, his professional career is legendary Paul Hollywood is the charismatic face of Britain's most popular food show, wowing foodies with his consummate bakery skills and setting hearts aflutter with undeniable screen presence. This biography will give fans the inside story on the man himself.