'Great British Bake Off' Judge Paul Hollywood Apologizes After Nazi Photo Emerges

By Taylor Rock
paul hollywood Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
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Photos have emerged of Great British Bake Off's Paul Hollywood clad in Nazi apparel. The Scottish Sun reports that Hollywood "stunned drinkers" by wearing the outfit at a village pub in Monkton, Kent. In the pictures, the TV chef sports a gray suit with a dangling Iron Cross and red swastika armband. He smiles and poses next to a friend dressed in similar attire.

Hollywood issued a statement on Twitter in response to the photos. "I am absolutely devastated if this caused offence to anyone, the picture was taken 14 years ago en route to a Comedy TV Shows Themed New Year's Eve Party and a group of us dressed up as characters from the classic TV show 'Allo 'Allo. Everyone who knows me, knows I am incredibly proud of the efforts of those, including my own grandfather, who fought against the Nazis during the war," he said.

Hollywood's grandfather, Norman Harman, served as a Royal Artillery anti-aircraft gunner in World War II.

The internet is divided, as always. Some people believe the get-up is in bad taste — costume or not. Others have come to the 51-year-old's rescue to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Paul Hollywood has brought this on himself. Him dressing as a Nazi wasn't a childish mistake. Appalling taste and judgement," tweeted @no1whisky.

"No apologies needed, you've done nothing wrong. All that happened over 70 years ago. Allo allo was that great even the Germans loved it," wrote @dazzasmith73.

The Great British Bake Off airs Tuesdays on Britain's Channel 4. While celebrity chefs may not always succeed in their costume choices, many of them are totally winning at business — take a look at America's 25 most successful chefs of 2017.