Bake together! Hollywood and former winner Candice enjoy cosy catch-up

LAST year’s Great British Bake Off champion Candice Brown has laughed off reports that she shared an ‘intimate kiss’ with judge Paul Hollywood at an awards afterparty.

Pictures, above, emerged of the 32year-old in a ‘cosy’ embrace with Hollywood, 51, following last week’s Pride of Britain Awards. However, she has denied anything untoward happened and said they were merely enjoying a catch-up with friends.

Broadcaster Shelagh Fogarty jumped to her defence following the reports in the Sun, tweeting: ‘I and three others were at that table and no such “intimate” thing happened.’

Yesterday Candice replied to Ms Fogarty: ‘So invisibility cloaks are real. I was so sure you were there all night too!!’ She added: ‘No kisses or hugs hello or goodbye from now on – handshakes or waves only!’

A spokesman for both Hollywood, who is married, and Ms Brown said it was untrue to describe it as an ‘intimate kiss’.

The spokesman said: ‘Seven of us, including Paul and Candice, were seated outside waiting for cars home. The photograph is of Paul saying goodbye to each of us.’

Ms Brown, who became known for her daring lipstick choices on the show, announced her engagement to long-term boyfriend Liam Macaulay just over a week ago.

She won Great British Bake Off in 2016, on its former BBC One home, earning a handshake from Hollywood for her four-tier meringue cake and impressing former judge Mary Berry with a ‘humdinger’ of a showstopper.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that Candice has joined the line-up for the rebooted Dancing On Ice, which is set to kick off next year.

The baking supremo said of her signing: ‘It’s nerve-wracking. I start my training today.

‘I take my first steps on the ice later on.

‘My friends call me Bambi on Ice – and that’s just normal day to day!’