Paul Hollywood, 59, and wife step out with Blake Lively, 37, in rare public outing amid Justin Baldoni legal saga
Paul Hollywood and his wife Melissa Spalding appeared with Hollywood star Blake Lively while attending a glitzy London screening on Tuesday night.
The Great British Bake Off judge, 59, has been on good terms with Lively, 37, and her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, for several years.
They were present to watch the new thriller comedy Another Simple Favour, starring Lively and Anna Kendrick.
The unlikely friendship between the baking star and the actress began in June 2023, when self-proclaimed Bake Off superfans Lively and Reynolds visited the show’s famous tent.
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At the time, Lively cosied up to Hollywood in a photo shared to his Instagram – where he jokingly suggested she should replace his co-judge Prue Leith.
“Sorry Prue, Blake has taken your seat… welcome to cake corner Blake,” the 59-year-old captioned the post.
Reynolds also posed with the Bake Off stars, describing the experience as “a full and unconditional hug of pure serotonin” on Instagram.
Speaking to The Times last year, Paul opened up about their bond: “I’ve got a lot of time for Blake. She texts occasionally, sort of to catch up on what she’s been up to, what Ryan’s up to, and it’s lovely.”
He added: “They’re just a normal family, mum and dad to some great kids. They’re really nice people.”
Just two months after their initial meeting, Hollywood and Lively reunited to promote her drinks brand Betty Booze.
The skit featured her arriving at Hollywood’s house with boxes of her cocktail cans, seeking the Bake Off judge’s approval on her product.
“I thought you don’t drink alcohol,” Paul questioned in the advert.
Blake jokingly replied: “Oh I don’t drink alcohol, I eat it. Bourbon and whipped cream, sherry vinaigrette. Really hard pressed to find anything I cook without alcohol.”
Paul gave his approval in typical Bake Off style: “I really like it, it is absolutely beautiful, really good. The tang, the balance with the ginger, it’s spot on.”
A humorous moment occurred when Blake thought she was getting a coveted Paul Hollywood handshake, only for him to reach past her for another drink.
The actress captioned the collaboration saying she had “finally made it in Hollywood”.
Lively’s latest appearance comes as she continues a brutal legal feud with Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director on the 2024 film It Ends With Us.
The 37-year-old Gossip Girl star sued Baldoni in late December, alleging harassment and a coordinated campaign to attack her reputation.
Baldoni, who denies the allegations, filed a countersuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion.
Both parties have denied any wrongdoing, and a trial date has been set for March 2026.