Paul Hollywood: is Bake Off judge engaged, who is girlfriend Melissa Spalding and has he been married before?

Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood has reportedly asked his girlfriend, Melissa Spalding to marry him.

The 56-year-old apparently proposed to the pub landlady earlier in 2022, the pair have been dating since 2019, with the engagement believed to have taken place a few months ago.

A source told The Sun that “Paul proposed some months ago, but they have been keeping it very quiet since then.” Adding: “It’s only in the past month that she has begun wearing her engagement ring out in public, and sharing their news with friends.”

Hollywood was previously married to family food writer Alexandra, following their divorce he also had a relationship with Summer Monteys-Fullam, who hit out at the baker on social media after he allegedly asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

So, is Paul Hollywood engaged, who is Melissa Spalding and what happened with his ex-wife? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Melissa Spalding?

Spalding, is a 38-year-old pub landlady from Ashford who manages the Chequers Inn pub and B&B, where the pair are thought to have met.

They began dating in 2019, with reports from the Daily Mail that Spalding moved into Hollywood’s 18th Century four-bedroom farmhouse during lockdown in 2020, which he allegedly bought with his previous girlfriend, Monteys-Fullam.

Reported in the Mail on Sunday a friend said at the time: “Paul and Melissa spent a lot of time together in lockdown.” Adding: “They bubbled up together and stayed at his house. Now she is there for good. They are delightfully happy, though it must be a bit strange given it was bought for Summer.”

The couple made their first official appearance together in December 2021 at the world premiere of “The King’s Man” in Leicester Square, London.

Are the couple engaged?

Reported by The Sun the couple are engaged but have been keeping the news quiet. A source told the publication: “Paul proposed some months ago, but they have been keeping it very quiet since then.”

They added: “It’s only in the past month that she has begun wearing her engagement ring out in public, and sharing their news with friends. There are no wedding plans in place yet.”

Has Paul Hollywood been married before?

Hollywood has been married before, the 56-year-old was married to his ex-wife, family food writer Alexandra for 20 years. The couple met in Cyprus in 1996, whilst she was working as a diving instructor at the hotel where he was head baker. They married in 1998 and had their son, Josh in 2001.

The pair first split in 2013 after Hollywood had an affair with his American Baking Competition co-star, Marcela Valladolid. The couple did go on to reconcile, however, they announced they were ending things for good in 2017.

Reflecting on her marriage in a social media post last Valentines Day, the food writer shared: “My own marriage was too over seasoned with extra marital affairs for my taste and so I opted out and chose the single menu instead.

“It wasn’t easy and It took some getting used to, I wasn’t even sure I liked it much at first, but as I regained my confidence, my freedom and myself after so long, I discovered that it really isn’t a cliche to say happiness really does comes from within.”

She added: “I still get the occasional well meaning comment - that I’ll get ‘snapped up soon’ (rather like a supermarket meal deal) people don’t like to believe that a woman can be happier single and I’m told that I shouldn’t worry, that I’ll meet someone special again. But that’s just it. I already have. That someone special is me…”

What happened with ex-girlfriend Summer Monteys-Fullam?

Following his split from his wife, Hollywood began dating model, Monteys-Fulham in 2017. The pair were together for two years before Monteys-Fullam allegedly called it quits after the celebrity baker asked her to sign an NDA to prevent her from talking about their relationship.