Great British Bake Off presenter apologises for 2003 image, which he says was taken on way to ‘Allo ‘Allo! themed party

Pictures have emerged of the Great British Bake Off presenter Paul Hollywood dressed in a Nazi uniform, complete with swastika and iron cross, as he prepared to attend a fancy dress party in 2003.



The former baker who presents the popular show on Channel 4 with Prue Leith, Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig said on Sunday that he was “absolutely devastated” to have caused offence by wearing the uniform.

The Sun (@TheSun) #GBBOf’s Paul Hollywood stunned pub drinkers after turning up dressed in full Nazi officer uniformhttps://t.co/sJr27CcI5X pic.twitter.com/MsCaOKQvdZ

Pictures of him posing dressed a Nazi officer in a Kent pub, with a friend who was in a similar outfit were published in the Sun on Sunday. Hollywood’s outfit featured a red swastika armband, an iron cross and a badge featuring a white Nazi eagle. He said the photograph was taken in 2003 when he was on his way to a themed party.

“I am absolutely devastated if this caused offence to anyone,” he said. “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.”

During an episode of the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are? in 2015, Hollywood learned about the experiences of his grandfather Norman Harman, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner during the second world war.

The photograph was taken in the White Stag in the village of Monkton.

The picture has echoes of the 2005 image of Prince Harry dressed in a shirt adapted to look like a Nazi uniform. In Germany it is a criminal offence to use and wear symbols of the Nazis, including uniforms with swastikas.

A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Wearing these costumes for fun is an insult to the British soldiers and civilians who died repelling Hitler’s onslaught and the 6 million Jews and many others who were murdered. However we appreciate Paul Hollywood’s immediate apology and note that this happened 14 years ago. We do not expect any further action.”



Channel 4 declined to comment, saying that it was “a personal matter”.