Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson have a surprisingly playful relationship off camera

Nigella Lawson and Paul Hollywood have already given us plenty to talk about on The Great British Bake Off, and it turns out their playful bickering isn’t exactly a sign of trouble behind the scenes.

Via Channel 4

The duo have developed a habit of winding each other up, with Nigella even getting a little flirty during this week’s episode. Their on-screen exchanges and playful insults have come amid rumours that the pair weren’t getting along after filming for the new series began earlier this year.

However, Nigella has now offered a glimpse into their relationship off camera, explaining that teasing each other helped them settle into working together.

Speaking to The Guardian, she said: “One of the many lovely things about Paul is that he’s good at being teased. I called him ‘Professor Precision’, then he teased me back and suddenly it all relaxed.”

She added: “He’s much more playful than he looks on camera.”

Nigella also explained that Paul has a habit of playing the “bad cop” during judging, complete with his famously intense stare. However, she insisted that he’s always genuine, which makes it easier for everyone else to feel comfortable being themselves.

Via Channel 4

Most Read

Traitor Maya Jama outed herself at breakfast, and we (and the Faithfuls) didn’t catch it

Mind-boggling flaw makes it ‘obvious’ who the Celebrity Traitors final three will be

Former Traitors stars break the illusion of what they eat, and breakfast will never be the same

“He often acts bad cop and does that laser stare but he’s always himself, which encourages other people to be themselves, too. We complement each other.”

There are also some less serious moments between the pair away from the judging table. According to Nigella, Paul sometimes pretends to “nod off” when she gets carried away talking about food.

And it seems the appreciation goes both ways. Paul praised Nigella in the same interview, saying she had “fitted in beautifully” with the Bake Off team. The pair have even spent time together outside filming, enjoying “a couple of dirty martinis or spicy margaritas”.

Via Channel 4

Nigella has previously addressed speculation about whether the pair genuinely get along, telling The Times: “What will people say of us on the programme? I feel that half will go, ‘Oh, there’s clearly something going on with them,’ and the other half will say, ‘Oh, clearly they don’t like each other at all.’ And I feel like that’s fine.”

While their exchanges might leave people wondering whether they’re flirting or about to have an actual disagreement, Nigella seems perfectly happy to let everyone make up their own minds.

For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.

Featured image via Channel 4