The Definitive Answer: Is Paul Hollywood Married? Inside His Secret Cyprus Wedding And 2025 Life
As of December 22, 2025, Paul Hollywood is a married man. The celebrity chef and star judge of The Great British Bake Off tied the knot with his partner, Melissa Spalding, in a stunning and intimate ceremony held in Cyprus in late 2023. This recent development definitively answers the long-standing question about his marital status, marking a significant new chapter in his personal life and drawing a clear line under his previous high-profile marriage and subsequent relationships.
The wedding, which took place at a luxury resort, was a relatively private affair, attended by close friends and family, including fellow GBBO judge Prue Leith. The couple’s decision to marry in Cyprus holds a special significance, as it is the same location where Hollywood met his first wife, Alexandra, decades earlier. For fans wondering about the famed baker's current life, he and Melissa are now enjoying a quiet, settled life away from the intense media spotlight.
Paul Hollywood: A Complete Biographical Profile
Paul Hollywood, known globally for his piercing blue eyes and the coveted "Hollywood Handshake," has a long and distinguished career that began long before his television fame. Understanding his background provides context for his personal life and current marital status.
- Full Name: Paul John Hollywood MBE
- Date of Birth: 1 March 1966
- Age (as of late 2025): 59 years old
- Place of Birth: Wallasey, Cheshire, England
- Occupation: Celebrity Chef, Television Presenter, Author, Baker
- Known For: Judge on The Great British Bake Off (GBBO) and The Great American Baking Show
- First Marriage: Alexandra Hollywood (m. 1998; div. 2019)
- Child: One son, Josh Hollywood, from his first marriage
- Current Wife: Melissa Spalding (m. 2023)
- Recent Honour: Awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to baking and broadcasting.
The Definitive Answer: Paul Hollywood’s Marriage to Melissa Spalding
The question of "is Paul Hollywood married" was definitively answered in September 2023 when he married Melissa Spalding. Melissa, a pub landlady from Kent, England, is significantly younger than Paul, but the couple has maintained a strong and private relationship since they first began dating around 2019.
The wedding ceremony was held at the magnificent Anassa Hotel in Paphos, Cyprus. This location is poignant for Hollywood, as it was in Cyprus where he met his first wife while working as a head baker at a hotel. The second wedding was a lavish, 75-guest celebration that reportedly cost around £200,000.
Melissa Spalding, now Paul Hollywood’s wife, is known for her work managing The Chequers Inn in Smarden, Kent. The couple’s relationship blossomed quietly, with Melissa often preferring to stay out of the intense public glare that follows the GBBO judge. This desire for privacy has been a hallmark of their time together.
In the lead-up to the wedding, Hollywood had been vocal about his desire to keep his personal life out of the tabloids, a clear reaction to the media scrutiny that followed his divorce. The successful, low-key nature of the wedding suggests he achieved his goal of a peaceful start to his new marriage.
Paul Hollywood's Relationship Timeline: From Alexandra to Melissa
Paul Hollywood’s love life has been as closely followed as his baking career, featuring several highly publicized relationships. His history provides a crucial backdrop to his current marriage.
The First Marriage: Alexandra Hollywood
Paul met his first wife, Alexandra "Alex" Hollywood, in Cyprus in the late 1990s. At the time, Paul was working as a head baker at the Annabelle Hotel, and Alex was a scuba diving instructor. They married in 1998 and had one son, Josh.
Their marriage lasted for nearly two decades, but they separated briefly in 2013 after Paul admitted to an affair with his co-star on The American Baking Competition, Marcela Valladolid. They reconciled shortly after, only to separate permanently in 2017. Their divorce was finalized in 2019.
The divorce settlement was reportedly a significant and complex affair, drawing considerable media attention. Both Paul and Alexandra have since moved on, with Alex becoming a well-known food writer and chef in her own right.
The Interim Relationship and New Love
Following his split from Alexandra, Paul Hollywood dated Summer Monteys-Fullam, a former barmaid, for two years. This relationship ended in 2019, reportedly over a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that Paul requested she sign.
Soon after, Paul began dating Melissa Spalding, who he had reportedly known for some time through her family’s pub business. Their relationship was confirmed in late 2019, and they moved in together during the 2020 lockdowns. Their engagement was kept private, with the wedding details only emerging shortly before the ceremony.
Life After the Wedding: Paul Hollywood's Private World in 2025
Since marrying Melissa, Paul Hollywood has continued his demanding career while maintaining a more settled and private home life. The couple resides in Kent, the same county where Melissa’s family pub is located.
In 2025, Paul remains the central figure of The Great British Bake Off, which is set to return for a new series. His role as the stern but fair judge, alongside his long-time co-star Prue Leith, keeps him firmly in the public eye. His signature "Hollywood Handshake" remains one of the most anticipated moments of the show.
His recent honour, the MBE, received in the 2024 New Year Honours list, cemented his status as a key figure in British broadcasting and culinary arts. This recognition of his services to baking and television added another major achievement to his profile, just months after his wedding.
The couple’s life is reportedly focused on their shared interests and domestic tranquility, a stark contrast to the drama of his earlier relationships. Hollywood has made rare comments about his married life, suggesting a deep contentment and a desire to protect his wife from the intense scrutiny he faces. This new stability is a major theme in the baker's life as he approaches his sixties.
Paul Hollywood’s career also continues to involve other projects, including writing new cookbooks and appearing in spin-off shows like The Great American Baking Show. His influence on home baking and the culinary world shows no signs of waning, even as his private life has found a new, quiet equilibrium with his wife, Melissa Spalding.
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