Paul Hollywood has been given the green light to use his trademark handshake on ‘The Great British Bake Off’.
The 54-year-old show judge often gives a congratulatory handshake to contestants to praise an impressive piece of baking, and while the gesture was in doubt due to social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is thought Paul has got the go ahead because the contestants and judges have been in an isolation bubble.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "In these strange times, producers want the 2020 series to be as close to normal as possible and they feel that it wouldn’t be the same without a Hollywood handshake.
"The judges and hosts – and the contestants – have all been deemed clear because of the bio-secure bubble and regular testing."
It was thought Paul might have to give elbow bumps instead of his usual handshakes on the new series, which is to return later this year.
In the 2017 season, Paul gave seven handshakes out.
Gary Davey – CEO of Sky Studios, the parent company of ‘Bake Off’ producer Love Productions – recently confirmed the show has resumed filming ahead of a new series airing later this year.
This year’s season of the Channel 4 baking show had been in serious doubt due to the pandemic.
Gary said filming is "going very well" on the show, and he added: "As you can imagine, there was a lot of work collaboratively between Love Productions and our Covid protocols team just to get that right."
Sky Studios chief commercial officer Jane Millichip revealed the show has moved to a more coronavirus-friendly location.
She said: "It’s all happening in deep secret, somewhere in darkest deepest Britain in the shires.
"You will have your Victoria sponge this year."