Ready. Set. Text!
The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood is spilling the details on some of the show’s famous fans — including his pal Blake Lively.
In an interview published Tuesday, December 31, Hollywood, 58, told the Times of London he often swaps text messages with Lively, 37, who visited the famous Bake Off tent with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, last year.
“I’ve got a lot of time for Blake. She texts occasionally, sort of to catch up on what she’s been up to, what Ryan’s up to. And it’s lovely, because regardless of their job, they’re just a normal family, [mom] and dad to some great kids,” the professional chef said. “They’re really nice people. I like that communication. I don’t have many friends who are celebrities, it’s not me. I don’t go to a lot of red-carpet stuff. I don’t go to the parties up in London. I don’t like London.”
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Lively and Reynolds, 48, documented their trip to the famous Bake Off set in England in June 2023 while Reynolds was filming Deadpool & Wolverine.
Hollywood hinted at his bond with Lively, sharing a photo from the Gossip Girl alum’s visit. “Sorry Prue, Blake (@blakelively) has taken your seat … welcome to cake corner Blake 
#legendinthetent #getbaking @vancityreynolds,” he teased costar Prue Leith via Instagram.
Reynolds, meanwhile, included Hollywood and Leith in his social media post from the hangout. “A full and unconditional hug of pure serotonin,” the If actor captioned a snap with the dynamic baking duo.
Two months later, Lively released a commercial for her Betty Booze brand featuring the Bake Off judge. “Finally made it in Hollywood. @bettybooze @paul.hollywood,” she wrote alongside a clip showing Hollywood testing out her latest cocktails in his kitchen. “Happy birthday to me 
.”
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While Hollywood has plenty of love for Lively and Reynolds, he admitted to the Times of London that he is less familiar with another superfan: Kylie Jenner, who shared a video of herself watching her “favorite show” in October.
“Only last week I got a text from someone: ‘Do you know Kylie Jenner?’ And to be honest, I didn’t,” he told the outlet. “She’s done a video watching Bake Off on a private plane, and she said to her 390 million followers that Bake Off’s her favorite show.”
Hollywood also said that he’s surprised the quaint British reality competition is such a hit among celebrities.
“I mean, when Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, Michael J. Fox and Lynda Carter, and all these other people come out as big fans of the show, it’s crazy,” he said. “You think, this is weird — for a load of people in tents in the middle of the British countryside?”
