Paul Hollywood ‘spends £500,000 on a helicopter to take his wife Melissa on romantic trips, while neighbours are furious at the noise it has caused in their quiet village’

Paul Hollywood has reportedly angered his neighbours after spending a fortune on a £500,000 helicopter.

The Great British Bake Off judge, who lives in a £1million mansion in Ashford, Kent, uses the helicopter to take flying lessons and take his wife Melissa on romantic trips – a source claims neighbours have been bothered by the noise.

Paul, 58, is said to be keeping his Robinson Raven helicopter at Manston Airport rather than nearby Headcorn airfield as he continues to work towards his licence.

The TV personality, who shelled out £21,000 for sessions in a World War II Spitfire, began training to become a pilot two years ago in a bid to escape the “madness” of his celebrity life.

He explained to me: “You’re just a machine and you’re far away from all the madness. Of course I’m a little nervous. But up there you have total freedom.”

Flight records show that Paul has been flying solo around the UK, often landing in the gardens of 5-star hotels.

He has even installed a windsock in his garden to monitor flight conditions.

There are concerns among locals that his plans to use the mega-money helicopter to travel to the Bake Off tent for filming could escalate unrest.

Although Paul spent £500,000 on the helicopter, that will not have made a dent in his finances as he racked up more than £14m last year alone.

The celebrity baker, who has been a judge on the Channel 4 show since 2010, earned £14,146,703 in 2023.

The Mirror reported that Paul was receiving around £270,000 a week, making him one of the highest-paid TV stars in the UK.

According to the accounts of the company HJP Media LLP that manages his earnings, Paul enjoyed his most lucrative year.

The company also made a profit of almost £1 million in 2023, with additional assets worth more than £4 million.

Paul, who is famous for his firm handshakes with contestants on the show, won a big award for being a loyal judge on the hit TV series.

She has received a £100,000 pay rise on top of her £600,000 Bake Off salary ahead of the next series in September.

His long history in the bakery programme has helped him connect with supermarkets such as Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, where he has purchased our range of kitchenware.

In addition to his television career, the baker has published 11 books, each of which has sold more than 700,000 copies.

The latest accounts state in the documents: “Profit for the financial year available for discretionary distribution to members was £9,873,200. Members’ interest after profit for the financial year was £14,146,703. Repayment of capital was £14,146,703.”

Paul has previously said he finds being a celebrity “horrendous”.

Speaking to Radio Times on whether fame has been a positive experience, he said: “No, it’s horrendous.

“I’ve always struggled with the word ‘celebrity’ anyway. Until I was 40, I never thought I’d ever be on TV.

‘This came out of nowhere and we have to adapt to it.

‘There’s no school you can go to to learn how to deal with the press, or your everyday life, and how to block it out without going crazy and getting angry. You can’t.

“You just have to develop a very thick skin. Now I have skin like that of a crocodile.”

MailOnline has contacted Paul’s representatives for comment.

Paul has been a judge on the hit television show Great British Bake Off since it began in 2010, co-presenting first with Dame Mary Berry and then Dame Prue Leith.

The star was awarded an MBE at Windsor Castle for her services to baking and broadcasting in April.

Paul, who was accompanied by members of his family including his mother Gill and received his honour from the Princess Royal, said he would love for the Prince and Princess of Wales to appear on the programme.

Speaking after the ceremony, Paul said being made an MBE had made him feel “very proud” but he wished his grandmother had been alive to witness it.

He explained: “I was very happy. When I found out, I told my mother and she was silent on the phone, which is quite unusual for my mother.”

“I wish my grandmother could have seen it. She loved the royal family very much, as we all do.

“But she, in particular, would have been delighted. But my mother was here today and she loved it.”

Asked which royal he would choose to compete in the Bake Off tent, Paul said: “I think I would choose Kate and Will. They would be more than welcome!”

He later spoke of Princess Anne, who presided over the ceremony, saying he had met her previously at Buckingham Palace.

Paul said: ‘I’ve always liked the Princess Royal.

‘I met her a few years ago at Buckingham Palace when the (then) Duke of Edinburgh was unwell. We were all with members of the royal family and I was there with Princess Anne. So to see her again today was fantastic.

“She said, ‘Baking is an integral part of all of our DNA. We love the smell.’ And I said, ‘Absolutely, I grew up with that smell.'”

“I think she’s particularly fond of Chelsea buns. I promised her I’d give them to her, so I was in a bit of a bind.”

Asked if the royal family were fans of the show, Paul said: “They were fully aware of it, yes.”