Bake Off judge to settle money fight out of court after marriage breakdown

Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood and estranged wife Alexandra have agreed to settle their differences over money out of court following a marriage breakdown.

Lawyers on Wednesday told a judge overseeing the Hollywoods’ cash fight that the pair had agreed to resolve any disagreements privately by going to arbitration.

Judge Martin O’Dwyer, who oversaw a private hearing at the Central Family Court in London, the day after viewers had seen David Atherton win the 2019 Bake Off final, welcomed the news.

The judge described the move to arbitration as “sensible” and said he was “entirely supportive”.

Both parties are in their 50s. Neither was at Wednesday’s hearing.

Earlier this year, another judge had signalled the end of their two-decade marriage.

Mrs Hollywood filed for divorce on the grounds that the celebrity baker had committed adultery.

District Judge Robert Duddridge granted a divorce decree at a hearing at the Central Family Court in London in July.

The judge held that Mr Hollywood had committed adultery and Mrs Hollywood found it “intolerable” to live with him. He concluded that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and granted a decree nisi.

Detail of the reasons for divorce emerged in court papers.

The judge heard that the couple got married in 1998 and split two years ago.

Judge O’Dwyer had been asked to make decisions over how money should be divided, but barrister Alex Tatton-Bennett, who represented Mr Hollywood, told the judge on Wednesday: “It is Mr Hollywood’s strong view that it is not in the family’s interest for this matter to be building and it should go to arbitration.”

Barrister Niki Langridge, who represented Mrs Hollywood, added: “We have agreed to resolve this matter outside the courtroom.”

She said the Hollywoods had agreed to arbitrate.

Lawyers representing the television star had said earlier this year that an agreement had been reached.