Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood’s Kent countryside home ‘like Serengeti’

Legendary baking judge Paul Hollywood has praised the work of a wild cat rescue group and said they do an “incredible job”.

The Great British Bake Off star, who lives in Kent, is a patron of the Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, which is currently working to save a young Eurasian lynx from war-torn Ukraine.

Hollywood revealed he can hear the lions from his house, which is close to the centre dedicated to the conservation and rescue of wild cats.

“It’s like the Serengeti,” he said, comparing the sounds of the Kent countryside to the national park in Africa that is teeming with wildlife, including lions, leopards, cheetahs and hundreds of species of birds.

The charity near his home is already caring for five lions rescued from Ukraine – one had been traumatised by a missile attack and some had experienced heavy shelling after Russia invaded the country.

Hollywood told the BBC the lions were now doing “phenomenally well”.

“I can hear them from the house,” he said.

“I have a few cats and their ears prick up when they hear the lions roaring at night. It’s amazing.”

Asked if he was careful about letting his cats near the sanctuary, he laughed and said: “A couple of ours need to be in that cage.”

The TV star is currently getting ready for the next series of the hit TV baking show and said this year one of the challenges was going to be picked by the public.

He said: “We want the audience to choose challenges – the signature technical and showstopper, we want the audience to pick what the bakers bake.

“I think it’s a great idea.”

He said it would give viewers the opportunity to play a part in the show.

People can send in suggestions on the programme website and submissions need to be sent in by 13:00 GMT on 18 January.