“The Great British Bake Off” judge Paul Hollywood was recently pulled over for driving almost 100 mph â but the celebrity chef had a valid reason for his reckless driving.
‘Great British Bake Off’ Star Paul Hollywood Was Pulled Over After Being Clocked at 96 mph
GettyOn Jan. 9, 2026, Hollywood, 60, was pulled over in his Land Rover Defender by Surrey police after he was clocked at 96 mph, the BBC reported. An officer driving an unmarked police car said that he believed the “Great British Bake Off” star had actually been going faster than 105 mph during the incident on the M26 highway in England.
Allegedly, Hollywood ârepeatedly bull[ied]â other vehicles by “aggressively tailgating” them so that they would move from the passing lane. Road conditions were also damp, and traffic was significant.
âWhenever there was a vehicle ahead, the driver would close up to a follow distance of less than five metres which was wholly inappropriate for the conditions and speed,â the officer reported, per BBC.
Hollywood Said He Was Speeding While Rushing His Cat to the Vet
The reason for Hollywood’s excessive speeding was explained during a court appearance: rushing his pet cat to the vet during a medical scare.
Ultimately, he pleaded guilty to speeding. Hollywood was fined $399.32, on top of paying $163.54 in costs and a $159.46 victim surcharge. Additionally, five penalty points were added to his license. (He had none to start.) A second charge, driving without due care and attention, was dropped.
âMr. Hollywood accepted he was driving too fast,” Hollywood’s lawyer, Peter Csemiczky, wrote. He also noted that the celebrity chef apologisedâ and âunderstood he would be punished.â
Paul Shared a Health Update on His Cat After Fans Expressed Concern
On May 7, Hollywood took to Instagram to share a health update with his followers after many expressed concern for his cat.
“For those asking after reading recent stories, yes, Bella is all good after a severe lung issue,” he captioned a photo of his British shorthair curled up in a pet bed while sleeping. “She had us panicking for a while! Her fur is growing back now, too. Thank you.”
In the comments, Hollywood’s followers voiced their support and relief that Bella was doing OK after the medical scare. One Instagram user wrote, “I fully endorse breaking the speed limit to save this gorgeous baby! ð¤.”
Someone else shared, “You absolutely did the right thing. Cats are family â¤ï¸â¤ï¸,” as a third echoed, “Bella is gorgeous, glad she is doing well. Our furbabies are family â¤ðð¾.”
Another fan declared, “You are a fantastic cat dad!! I am an even bigger fan after reading these articles! All pet parents understand. Iâm so glad your baby is okay! ð«¶ð».”
A different Instagram user commented, “Aww, bless her. Who wouldnât do the same for their pet â¤ï¸âð©¹.”
Meanwhile, yet another fan admitted, “I would have driven like a bat out of hell if it had been one of my babies!! However, thank you for updating, and Iâm so pleased that sheâs okayâ¤ï¸.”
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