Bake Off superfan’s dream comes true as Paul Hollywood visits Hele Cornmill

Celebrity baker and Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, pictured with Kathy Jones, tried the homemade scones at Hele Cornmill and declared them “okay.” | Hele Cornmill

placeholder image — Celebrity baker and Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, pictured with Kathy Jones, tried the homemade scones at Hele Cornmill and declared them “okay.” | Hele Cornmill

Straight-talking Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood dropped in at Hele Cornmill and Tearoom in Ilfracombe to film for a top-secret new show

A North Devon baker who spent years tackling the Great British Bake Off’s weekly technical challenge saw her dream come true when Paul Hollywood turned up at her tearoom.

The no-nonsense judge spent several hours filming at Hele Cornmill and Tearoom in Ilfracombe for a hush-hush new Channel 4 show expected to air next year.

Mill owners Kathy and David Jones said they can’t reveal much yet about his visit, but tearoom baker and Bake Off superfan Kathy said in true Hollywood style, her popular homemade scones were branded as “okay.”

Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood at Hele Cornmill with Katie, Kathy and David Jones. | Hele Cornmill

Kathy has followed the show since it started in 2010 and it helped to influence their new business when the couple moved to North Devon and took on the historic cornmill in 2011.

She told the Gazette: “It was an honour to meet Paul Hollywood and I never dreamt he would turn up at our tearoom.

“I followed the Great British Bake Off since it started and when we moved to Devon, I would buy the Great British Bake Off books and challenge myself to bake the ‘technical’ each week for the tearoom, so the programme has had a great influence on what we do here.”

Kathy Jones made the Bake Off ‘technical challenge’ every week for years at the Hele Cornmill tearoom. | Hele Cornmill

She went on: “Meeting Paul Hollywood was one of the more exciting events on our calendar this year. With storms Austen and Boelo coming in the weekend before, bringing down a large tree over the stream and cottage and causing a temporary power cut in Hele, I’m just relieved we were able to have open roads, a clear site, lighting and ovens working on the big day!

“Filming with his professional crew was fun but five hours filming will probably result in three minutes of TV so I hope my section makes the final cut.”

Filming for a secret new Paul Hollywood Channel 4 show at Hele Cornmill. | Hele Cornmill

Kathy and David were contacted by a production researcher about filming at the 16th century water mill where they still grind flour the traditional way, using it to bake the many cakes and baked products sold in the tearoom.

It proved a place of great interest for Paul, who is a baker by trade and began working in his father’s bakery when just a teenager.

Paul Hollywood working behind the counter at Hele Cornmill. | Hele Cornmill

Kathy said: “He spent time going around the mill. He comes from a baking background and he’s very much a bread baker, so I think he was interested in the flour and everything in there.”

With a reputation as a tough-talking judge on Bake Off, Paul also has a reputation of a far more easy-going personality off camera and Kathy agreed, saying: “When you're chatting about everyday things and about the weather, he's quite light-hearted and he’s quite easy to chat to.

A curious or hungry robin popped in to say hello while Paul Hollywood was chatting to Hele Cornmill baker Kathy Jones. | Hele Cornmill

“We were open to the public at the time he was very good when people saw him. One lady just whooped in delight when she saw him, she couldn't believe it, but he was really nice to her and chatted - he was very good with people that spotted him.”

Hele Cornmill and Tearoom is now closed for the season but will reopen by Easter. You can find out more about the mill and its history at https://helecornmill.com