'Racing Car beats Baking'

Paul Hollywood on his driving ambitions, Rome-ing around with Strictly’s Bruno and dressing like Bond.

- Rebecca Fletcher

Paul Hollywood has a confession to make. TV Times has just asked if he prefers cars to baking. Judging by his broad grin, we’re not sure we want to know the answer.

‘Racing cars beats baking bread. It does!’ he chuckles, clearly amused by our mock-shocked expression.

Fans of Britain’s most famous baker needn’t worry, though. Paul still adores baps and buns and will be back on our screens later this year fronting C4’s The Great British Bake Off, with new tent-mates Prue Leith, Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding.

For now though, he’s indulging his childhood obsession with cars, bombing around Italy, Germany and France in a ridiculous amount of supercars for the three part BBC2 series, Paul Hollywood’s Big Continental Road Trip.

‘It’s my dream job,’ he smiles. ‘I’ve always seen car shows and thought, “I’d love to do that”. Who wouldn’t? Apart from eating cake, you want to drive cars! So it was an easy yes when this came along. I think it comes across on screen how happy I am…’

Over six days and 1,000 miles of motoring with celebrity driving companions such as Bruno Tonioli, it’s obvious Paul is having a blast as he discovers what makes each country tick when it comes to cars.