Hollywood’s £117,500 Bake Off pay for charity episodes
PAUL HOLLYWOOD was paid more than £100,000 to appear on charity episodes of The Great British Bake Off, it has emerged.
Celebrity contestants who appeared on the Stand Up To Cancer specials did not receive a penny as their fees were donated to the charity.
But presenters and judges Hollywood, Prue Leith, Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig all pocketed cheques from the five special shows.
Channel 4 confirmed that while the contestants donated their entire fee to the campaign, the celebrities already under contract on the long-running show contributed only an undisclosed portion but declined to say what percentage.
A source at the broadcaster told The Sun: “It was up to them to decide what to donate. The show involved a big time commitment for filming several episodes and doing voice-overs.
“Celebrity contestants who took part, like Alan Carr and Harry Hill, weren’t paid at all. Their fees went straight to the charity.”
Hollywood, 52, is reportedly paid up to £23,500 per episode, meaning he received a total of £117,500 for the shows, which concluded this week.
During the final episode, Carr, 41, who was ridiculed for making a snappable sponge, said: “At the end of the day it doesn’t matter if your cakes taste delicious or they’re rubbish, we’re all doing it for Stand Up To Cancer. And 100 per cent of that money goes to charity. What’s not to love.”
A Channel 4 spokesman said: “Our aim is to raise as much as possible for Stand Up To Cancer and all contributors donate their fee to the campaign. Those already contracted for long-running series also make a significant donation.”
A representative for Hollywood could not be contacted for comment.
Last year, it was claimed that Prue Leith was paid £200,000 a series, which was up to three times more than Mary Berry, a former judge, earned, which was said to be £70,000.