Paul Hollywood Trolled For Giving Out Too Many Handshakes on ‘The Great British Baking Show’ (2024)

The Great British Baking Show used to be notorious for its wholesome and unproblematic nature. Up until this current season, the most controversial thing was the Baked Alaska fiasco between two competitors (which they both insisted was a legit accident) and judge Paul Hollywood’s pattern of dating younger women (but that hasn’t hurt Leo’s career). However, the illusion was shattered two weeks ago when the baking competition tackled “Mexican Week” and filled the episode with hard-to-watch quips and stereotypes. Now, this week has unveiled a new problem: Hollywood handshakes are given too easily.

Given that this episode will not air in the U.S. via Netflix until Friday, October 21, we will be light on spoilers, but be aware that some of the tweets below may divulge more than you’re willing to know. Without disclosing any names, Hollywood gave out, not one, but TWO handshakes in this week’s episode of The Great British Baking Show, which has led fans to complain that they “aren’t what they used to be.”

The Hollywood Handshake is the signature move from the celebrity chef and signifies an impressive bake. It’s such a big ordeal that there’s a fan website dedicated to how many handshakes Hollywood delivers a season, seemingly created by this Redditor who posted in the Bake Off community: “I made a website that documents all of Paul Hollywood’s handshakes.”

The website shows that Hollywood didn’t give out his first handshake until Season 3, and then began to go a bit crazy in Season 7, where he gave a total of four handshakes. That led to Season 9 where Hollywood shook the hands of 12 bakers. This isn’t even the first time he’s done two shakes in one episode, according to the website. Previously, Hollywood gave two big ‘ole shakes in seasons 7, 8, and 9, and three in Season 12.

The website also reports that he shook two hands earlier this season, in episode two. That begs the question: What gives, Hollywood? Are you just shaking anybody’s hands now?

One Twitter user wrote, “Hollywood handshakes are not the thing they were. He gives out far too many now. Used to be like 1 a series.”

Another wrote, “The Hollywood Handshake and the extent to which Paul has bought into & forced his own mythos really grosses me out” before suggesting that Hollywood carries that co*cky behavior into his bedroom and “100% offers handshakes to the early20something women he sleeps with after a good round.” Weird take, but alright.

A third tweeted, “Hollywood gives out handshakes like they’re going out of fashion. Her cake looked awful and he even said so but then whips out a handshake anyway? It belittles every other handshake he’s given.”

And the discourse continues, with one saying the handshakes are “too common” and “totally devalued,” and another comparing him to Oprah. “You get a handshakes, you get a handshake!”

However, one fan reminded us about the goodness of the show and said “I don’t care about any ‘Hollywood handshake’”, because the hug shared, later on, between two contestants was much sweeter.

Cure your sweet tooth with this week’s episode of The Great British Baking Show, which airs Friday, October 21, 2022 on Netflix.