The Bake Off judge was caught in a high-speed chase on the M25—tailgating drivers at distances so dangerous that police called it "bullying." But his excuse? A sick cat.
Paul Hollywood, 60, pleaded guilty to speeding last week, but a second charge of driving without due care and attention was mysteriously dropped—only after his high-powered lawyers intervened.
His law firm, Hickman and Rose, wrote in court: "Mr Hollywood accepts he was driving too fast. He was rushing home to get his unwell cat to the vet. He understands this is no excuse and apologises."
The incident happened at 3:20 PM on January 9. An unmarked police car spotted Hollywood's vehicle on the M25—and what followed was a nerve-shredding display of road aggression.
PC Alexander McAlpine described how Hollywood would "bully" other vehicles out of his way through unsafe tailgating, closing to less than five metres behind cars at high speed.
"Once a vehicle moved out of the way, the driver would then heavily accelerate and travel well in excess of the limit until they reached the next vehicle ahead," the officer said.
Hollywood hit speeds of 100mph on the damp, traffic-heavy M25. On the quieter M26, he pushed even harder.
At one point, he followed a car at a mere two metres while travelling at 80mph—until the terrified driver finally pulled over.
The officer matched Hollywood's speed, clocking him at a peak of 105mph, with a "general road speed remained above 90mph for an extended period."
When pulled over, Hollywood's explanation was simple: he was transporting an unwell cat.
The Bake Off star—a motoring enthusiast who has raced Aston Martins professionally—once called speeding his "most unappealing habit." He even admitted that fellow judge Mary Berry once hit him with her handbag for driving too fast.
Court records show Hollywood had no penalty points on his licence before this incident. He pleaded guilty in writing and was sentenced in a private hearing. The careless driving charge was dropped by police.
Hollywood was sentenced on April 27, joining 374 other motorists convicted that same week for breaking 70mph speed limits.
