Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood’s barmaid lover jets home early from romantic break after onlookers saw ‘silent pair’ sitting apart
IT seemed like a summer of love for Paul Hollywood — but now the rainclouds may have moved in.
The Sun can reveal the baker’s 23-year-old lover, Summer Monteys-Fullam, cut short their recent romantic holiday abroad and stormed home alone.
It came after the Great British Bake Off judge’s estranged wife Alex vowed to name the barmaid as the cause of the split in their upcoming court battle over Paul’s fortune.
And insiders predict the worst of the arguments are yet to come for Paul, 52, as his fling quickly unravels.
Onlookers last week spotted the strained pair sitting apart on their break in Cyprus, both looking furious before she decided to pack her bags.
Days later, on Thursday this week, she was pictured taking her chihuahua on a seaside stroll — looking far more relaxed than she had during her time on the holiday island.
One Cyprus source described the pair as “incredibly tense”, adding: “One evening they went to a bar for dinner but hardly exchanged a word.
“He ended up outside drinking with the owner of the bar while she sat inside on her own finishing her food. They certainly didn’t look like a happy couple.”
The dispute will be a bitter blow to Paul, who had proudly shown off the redhead — three decades his junior — in front of friends and colleagues.
The baker and his lover first met early last summer, when Paul arranged a birthday party for wife Alex at their local pub, the Duke William, in Ickham, Kent, where Summer worked behind the bar.
A source revealed that after the party, Paul kept “popping in to the pub” to catch up with the staffer, whose stepfather is the same age as the TV star.
He was so enamoured with his new friend he reportedly loaned her his chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce for her 22nd birthday in May 2017.
The pair were often seen sharing private moments in a cosy nook of the pub and their closeness quickly became the talk of the village.
Friends told how she had spent years as a party girl — and enjoyed getting a reaction to her good looks.
One pals, Rachel Turrell, revealed Summer would post photos online which hid her face but showed off her figure.
Rachel explained: “It made her feel sexy knowing she turned so many people on.
“Summer is wild and we had some unforgettable times.
“We drank champagne then looked for men. Summer always liked older men — they treated her like a princess.”
You turned me from a girl to a woman
Summer Monteys-Fullam
And she is far from the first younger woman Paul has swept away with his own charms – despite a 20-year marriage to cookbook author Alexandra, 54.
The pair announced their split last November — long before Alex said she plans to accuse him of infidelity with Summer in court papers — but the star has form as a cheat.
In 2013, the couple briefly separated after Paul admitted to an affair with his co-judge of the American version of Bake Off, Marcela Valladolid, who is 12 years his junior.
A devastated Alex vowed to divorce him, saying at the time: “In the space of four weeks my life changed irrevocably. One minute I was happily married and the next I wasn’t.” But Paul was determined to save his marriage and Alex decided to give it another try, partly for the sake of their son Josh, now 16.
Still, she struggled with the shadow of his infidelity, and with his wandering eye.
After they called time on the marriage for good last year, a source explained: “The more famous Paul has become, the more attention he has been getting, and that has put huge strain on the marriage.
“It’s now got to the stage where he simply can’t go anywhere without fans, often attractive, younger women, racing to get close to him.
“Paul plays up to it and enjoys the attention which he thinks is harmless but obviously Alex doesn’t see it that way, especially after his affair.”
There have since been claims Paul and Summer had a secret date at a swanky London hotel before November’s announcement his marriage was over.
Onwards - leave the muppets behind
Alex Hollywood
The barmaid, who quit her job after getting fed up of being ribbed by colleagues about her lover, later insisted the relationship started “way after” Paul’s separation.
This infuriated ex Alex and prompted her vow to set the record straight in papers relating to the upcoming court about the divorce settlement. Indeed, the relationship appears to have moved quickly, with Summer posting a gushing Instagram tribute to her new man at the end of 2017.
She wrote: “I have had a journey, I have had my fun, and I have had my troubles... but I can only take that as the path I was meant to lead.
“But, I can only thank the people that are close to me. Including my amazing boyfriend.”
She then added: “You have turned me from a girl to a woman” and declared: “I love you so much!!!!!”
News of the fling came as no surprise to those close to Summer, who has since deleted her Instagram account. Before the TV star, she is said to have dated property tycoon Walter Collins, 47, for two years.
She and Paul were pictured together for the first time in March this year when he whisked her away to Mauritius, staying at a £1,000-a-night villa.
During the trip, she posed for a selfie in a red swimming costume emblazoned with the words Cake Cake — said to be her pet name for Paul.
And earlier this year she was spotted moving things into Paul’s rented cottage in Kent.
Summer always liked older men
Friend
One of Alex’s friends said of Paul’s ex-wife at the time: “She’s understandably upset by the speed at which Paul appears to have moved on. But she’s also amused by the sight of a woman striking up a relationship with a man who’s old enough to be her dad.”
And in a cheeky jibe, food writer Alex shared a recipe for an “easy Summer tart” with her Instagram followers.
Paul seemed to respond with his own dig, sharing a recipe for sourdough.
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On Sunday, Alex liked a series of fans’ tweets praising her for being “dignified”.
She also gave a thumbs up to the post: “Onwards and upwards is right! Leave the muppets behind!” Now it seems the gloves are off, with Alex said to have hired legendary divorce lawyer Raymond Tooth — nicknamed Jaws for his ferocity.
The move may win her a generous slice of Paul’s £10million fortune in the hearing to decide a divorce settlement.
With his private life set to be made public in court, a threat to his bank balance and his new relationship potentially in trouble, the Hollywood dream could soon be over.
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