“This can damage people”: Paul Hollywood issues trolling warning ahead of Bake-Off

He's not having it anymore.

Paul Hollywood has made a stark warning for online trolls ahead of The Great British Bake Off, noting how serious the consequences can be. With the series set to return this month, the judge has said that people who target contestants on the show with hateful messages can have serious impacts on them. Warning that "this can damage people," Paul has previously jumped to the defence of previous contestants after seeing "disgusting behaviour" online. Also facing his fair share of online bullying, he says that while he is used to it, new contestants are "raw, they're new, they're not used to this." After defending 2020 contestant Laura Adlington, Paul said: "I had to come out last year in support of Laura, because it was out of order. "It had gone out of control, and it is so easy in lockdown when people have got nothing else to do, and all they're going to do is bombard someone they're not particularly happy with. And you can't feed into people like that, you've got to be really careful - and so I had to say something. "I think, ultimately, you're always going to get sides, you know? It's like football - you're always going to get one side against another. But I think, ultimately, as long as you support them, and Bake Off do, I saw what was happening and I had to say something." Adding that he has had to deal with a lot coming from the show, Paul noted that there is always backlash and as much as you get used to it, it still upsets him. He continued: "I'm a judge on a baking show; I'm not a politician, I'm not anything else - I'm just a baker and I get bombarded with stuff that I shouldn't be bombarded with. "So, I've learned to live with it, however difficult it is. But it's not fair on the bakers because they're raw, they're new, they're not used to this, and you've got to be really careful. "This can damage people, this [can] really, really hurt people, and I think you've got to be really careful. There'll be a backlash and you just don't want it, it's not fair." The Great British Bake Off returns to our screens on September 21st on Channel 4.