The Great British Baking Show’s Paul Hollywood Says Brother Lee Was Victim of a ‘Nasty and Unprovoked’ Attack

Paul Hollywood is calling on the public to help identify the person behind a “nasty and unprovoked” attack on his brother, Lee Hollywood.

On Sunday, Aug. 10, The Great British Baking Show star, 59, shared a news release from Wirral Police on Instagram, confirming that the victim mentioned was his sibling.

The police statement — which did not name Lee — reported that a man in his 50s was rushed to the hospital with injuries to his back and face after an assault in Leasowe, England, on Friday, Aug. 8.

“If you have information regarding this attack on Friday night, the person in question who was attacked is my brother Lee. Any information please follow details above. Thank you,” Paul wrote on Instagram.

According to police, the victim had been walking his dog on Links View Playing Fields around 7:10 p.m. when his pet and another dog, being walked by a different man, began barking at each other.

Authorities said the other man became “irate” while separating the dogs. After walking away, the suspect allegedly approached the victim from behind, punched him to the ground, then kicked him in the face before fleeing.

“This was a nasty and unprovoked assault which left the man needing hospital treatment,” Detective Inspector Phil Ryan said in a statement.

“We are appealing for anyone who was in the area of Links View Playing Fields or Shackleton Road at around 7 p.m. last night who heard or saw the incident or saw the male leaving the area to contact us,” Ryan added.

Investigators are reviewing potential CCTV footage as part of the ongoing case.

Lee — who, like his brother Paul, built a career in baking — owned the artisan bakery Born & Bread in Wirral, Liverpool, until 2020.

In a 2016 interview, Lee spoke about the demands of the business, saying its success relied on his 13-hour workdays.

“I’m the grafter of the family, Paul’s too busy with Bake Off. The last time he made a proper loaf was about ten years ago,” Lee told The Daily Mail at the time. “Our Paul and I are very close and I watch Bake Off when I can, but it’s mainly on catch-up because I’m always here. I came in today at 7 a.m. and I will still be here at 8 p.m. tonight.”