“They’re just a normal family, mom and dad to some great kids,” Hollywood told U.K. newspaper ‘The Times’ on Monday, Dec. 30
The Great British Baking Show host Paul Hollywood is opening up about his friendship with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.
In an interview with U.K. newspaper The Times published on Monday, Dec. 30, Hollywood, 58 — who starred in a 2023 commercial for Lively’s canned cocktail brand Betty Booze — said the pair had remained in touch ever since.
“I’ve got a lot of time for Blake. She texts occasionally, sort of to catch up on what she’s been up to, what Ryan’s up to,” Hollywood told the outlet.
“It’s lovely, because regardless of their job, they’re just a normal family, mom and dad to some great kids,” he added, referencing their four children; daughters James, 10, Inez, 8, and Betty, 5, plus son Olin, 1.
“They’re really nice people. I like that communication. I don’t have many friends who are celebrities, it’s not me. I don’t go to a lot of red-carpet stuff. I don’t go to the parties up in London. I don’t like London,” the celebrity baker continued, per The Times.
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Hollywood has previously posed with Lively and Reynolds for multiple snaps shared to social media from the famous Baking Show tent.
In July, he posted a photo of Reynolds posing next to him while wearing his Deadpool suit during a visit to the famous outdoor kitchen.
“Yea he’s tall and I’m not ! @vancityreynolds but looking forward to seeing the new Deadpool movie…” Hollywood wrote at the time, referencing Deadpool & Wolverine‘s summer release.
Reynolds gave his stamp of approval by commenting, “⚔️🥮⚔️” with the emojis in line with the Marvel film.
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Hollywood’s interview was conducted before it was reported that Lively had filed a complaint accusing director and actor Justin Baldoni, 40, of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends with Us.
Lively first sued Baldoni on Dec. 20, claiming in an 80-page complaint that after she reported sexual harassment on the set of the 2024 movie, Baldoni retaliated against her by orchestrating a smear campaign intended to tarnish her image.
In the complaint — which came months after rumors of a feud between the costars swirled — the actress outlined dozens of allegations against Baldoni (who starred in, produced and directed the film), as well as members of the movie’s production team and the individuals said to be involved in the alleged smear campaign against her.
In a statement given to The New York Times, Lively said, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
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Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has since spoken to PEOPLE about his client’s impending lawsuit against Lively, saying, “This is not a response or countersuit — it’s a deliberate pursuit of truth.”
Freedman, a veteran Hollywood lawyer, also claimed that Baldoni’s filing would “expose” falsities in Lively’s complaint.
A representative for Lively did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, Dec. 29.
Source people.com
