Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood BLASTS critics calling him a TRAITOR
GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF star Paul Hollywood has hit back at critics who branded him a "traitor" ahead of the new revamped series.
Trailer for Channel 4's The Great British Bake Off
The 51-year-old celebrity chef spoke out about the backlash following the Great British Bake Off's move from BBC to Channel 4, admitting that the criticism "smarted".
"What was I a traitor to?" he asked. "I'd just recorded a car show with the BBC, so I hadn't left the BBC. I hadn't left Bake Off.
"Normally as a traitor you turn your back on something," he insisted, telling Radio Times: "I didn't turn my back on anything."
However, Paul also confessed that he had plans of his own amid the controversial Bake Off shake-up, saying: "Everyone's got an agenda, you can't change that."
Paul Hollywood hit back at critics calling him a 'traitor'
Paul insisted that he had not turned his back on anyting
As excitement builds for the show’s highly-anticipated return next week, new hosts Noel Fielding, 44, and Sandi Toksvig, 59, recently revealed what they really think about former presenters Mel Giedroyc, 49, and Sue Perkins, 47.
Fan favourites Mel and Sue will feature in an unusual way in the first episode of the new series as Noel and Sandi phone them for directions whilst riding in a hot air balloon.
Noel said that they felt obliged to refer to the duo, telling media including Express.co.uk: "We couldn't not mention it because it would be like a huge elephant in the room.
"Everyone knows it has moved on and we are friends with Mel and Sue," he added. "Mel was lovely. She said she felt like she should hand me a baton like a baguette."
Noel Fielding also revealed what he really thought about Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins
The new Great British Bake Off starts next week
He went on to say that the comedy industry is "very supportive", insisting that there isn't any rivalry between the old guard and the new line-up.
Sandi agreed, explaining: "It's a funny thing. When you're friends with someone you don't spend all your time talking about work, so probably if we got together we'd talk about other things.
"But it's quite a lovely business," she continued. "One of the things I spoke about with Noel is that the comedian world is quite small and actually there's a lot of love and there's not much rivalry."
Read the full interview in this week's Radio Times, out now.