The GBBO Moment That Broke Paul Hollywood

A decorated chef, baker, and judge of the "Great British Bake Off," Paul Hollywood is essentially the Guy Fieri of the UK. A familiar face thanks to his icy blue eyes, the pâtissier was once poised to become a sculptor. However, on the heels of his father's persuasion to join the family business, Hollywood went on to become a world-renowned baker at extravagant hotels like Cliveden, The Chester Grosvenor, and The Dorchester. Since then, per his website, he's become an iconic television presenter, educator, and author.

But with serious accolades comes a serious persona. Throughout his 12 seasons as a judge on GBBO, Hollywood hasn't been particularly easy on the show's contestants. Although he provides the amateur bakers with meaningful feedback, his criticisms can be a bit harsh. In fact, Insider reported that "Bake Off" contestants have called his straightforward persona intimidating and even annoying.

Although judge Prue Leith and hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas provide lighthearted comedic relief to even out Hollywood's menacing bravado, even the silver fox can join in on the shenanigans from time to time.

Each week, "Bake Off" contestants compete in a "technical." In this time-restricted challenge, each baker is provided with the same ingredients and instructions to create one finished product that is expected to reflect the prototype of that week's baked good. The challenge is uniquely important to the show because it eliminates bias — the judges critique, assess, and award a winner without knowing which product belongs to who.

During the semi-final technical challenge in season 11, chefs Peter, Laura, Dave, and Hermine are instructed to make a Danish cornucopia, which according to Paul Hollywood's recipe, is a horn-shaped pastry made from a "dough of eggs, almonds, sugar, and held together with caramel." While none of the bakers particularly excelled in that week's challenge, season 11 runner-up Dave Friday devised a cornucopia that was inadvertently provocative, and consequently hilarious.

Missing a key instruction, Dave's cornucopia was served standing upright rather than laying on the horn's curve. Just when fans expected Hollywood to rip into Dave's creation, he exploded into a contagious fit of laughter that spread through the contestants and hosts alike. With his mind in the gutter, Hollywood got such a kick out of it that Leith had to hush him to stop.

Despite his cornucopia's immodest appearance, Dave placed third in the challenge and received the honor of breaking Hollywood's infamously sober attitude.