HE'S presided over a TV hit with The Great British Bake Off, now PAUL HOLLYWOOD hopes we see another, "cheekier" side of him, in a new one-man show coming to Fairfield Halls on May 24...Why did you decide to do a one-man tour?
I really wanted to do something different. People have one image of me from The Great British Bake Off, as the stern judge who gives out criticism and I've got another image on shows like Pies or Puds which show the real me, which is basically a bit of a joker.
By going on a one-man tour the public will get to see the cheekier side of my persona and learn a bit about my life. What will the audience see on the tour?
Basically I am taking baking on the road and the premise is the story of my life in baking; how my dad persuaded me to ditch my path of being a trained sculptor and join the family business.
Tales from my time as a head baker at some of the world's most exclusive hotels and of course, anecdotes from my time filming The Great British Bake Off. I'll also be answering all those baking questions people ask me on Twitter or in the street. Are you not nervous to be doing a one-man show?
Yes! The idea of a live show is a bit daunting, especially as I'll be going to some venues such as the Hammersmith Apollo which to me feels like being a rock and roll star. But I have done a lot of demonstrations over the years, sometimes to an audience of thousands at shows like BBC Good Food etc, so I have some confidence when it comes to talking to a large audience. Will there be any surprises on the tour?
Yes, we'll be inviting a selected number of people up from the audience who will get a little masterclass from me and be able to test out their own skills. It should be really good fun; I always see teaching as part of my job.Is there a new series of The Great British Bake Off this year?
Yes, I'll actually start filming for the new series during the tour so it's going to be a full-on couple of months. The show has been given a new home on BBC One this year which will be a great new platform for it.
I just can't believe how successful it has been. I thought it would just last two series but each year it just gets bigger and bigger; more people watched last year's final than X Factor, which is amazing.How is it working with Mary Berry?
What you see with Mary is what you get, she really is such a lovely woman, an absolute breath of fresh air and we've become really good friends. When we are working all the time I have to admit I can get a bit tired but Mary is like a Duracell bunny, she just keeps going and never stops.
Paul Hollywood's Get Your Bake On is at Fairfield Halls on Saturday, May 24, from 8.15pm. Call 020 8688 9291 or go to www.fairfield.co.uk
Paul Hollywood's Get Your Bake On is at Fairfield Halls on Saturday, May 24, from 8.15pm. Call 020 8688 9291 or go to www.fairfield.co.uk
