The new musical based on The Great British Bake Off reportedly had to be rewritten after Paul Hollywood was left annoyed by scenes depicting his character flirting with a contestant.

According to The Mirror the TV judge, 57, refused to back the production unless the changes were made. 

The show currently playing in London’s West star’s John Owen-Jones as Phil Hollinghurst a character based on Paul and Haydn Gwynne playing a fictional version of Prue Leith named Pam Lee.

A show insider told the publication: ‘It’s light-hearted fun and in that spirit, the original script included scenes in which [Paul’s character] got close to a baker’.

‘But Paul didn’t see the funny side at all. He made it clear he wouldn’t give the project his backing if the scenes stayed.’ 

On stage: The show currently playing in London’s West star’s John Owen-Jones (right) playing Phil Hollinghurst a character based on Paul and Haydn Gwynne (left) as a fictional version of Prue Leith named Pam Lee

Throwing his weight around: It’s been reported the Tv judge refused to back the production unless the changes were made (L-R) Paul Hollywood and the musical’s star John Owen-Jones

‘The rewrite came quite late so it was very inconvenient.

‘It was a shame Paul didn’t see the funny side. Clearly, we touched a nerve.’ 

MailOnline have contacted Paul’s reps for comment.  

Back in 2013 GBBO fans pointed to simmering sexual tension between then 47-year-old Paul and contestant Ruby Tandoh, 21. 

The TV judge, and reported lothario, split from his wife Alex in 2017, ending a 20-year marriage, after she claimed Paul had been adulterous – a claim he denies.

Alex and Paul finalised their divorce in June 2019 and Paul went on to date Summer Monteys-Fullam – who was 24 at the time – who he met while she was working as a barmaid.

Paul and Alex’s marriage came close to ending in 2013, when it was revealed that he’d had an affair with his The American Baking Competition co-star Marcela, 42.

He told The Mirror in July of that year that it was ‘his fault’ and he was very sad about what it had brought on his family. 

Throwback: Back in 2013 GBBO fans pointed to simmering sexual tension between then 47-year-old Paul and contestant Ruby Tandoh, 21

Ex: The TV judge, and reported lothario, split from his wife Alex in 2017 , ending a 20-year marriage, after she claimed Paul had been adulterous – a claim he denie (pictured together in 2015)

The Great British Bake Off Musical has received mixed reviews from critics, following its West End debut at the Noël Coward Theatre earlier this month. 

Following the format of the beloved baking programme, the production sees eight amateur bakers compete to impress two judges and battle to be crowned star baker.

And while The Times gave the show four stars for its ‘witty’ original songs and John Owen-Jones’ ‘delightfully gruff performance’ as Phil Hollinghurst, the Evening Standard was not so complimentary in its two-star review.

Chief theatre critic Nick Curtis wrote: ‘This is low-level entertainment for the undemanding, with brainless characters and unremarkable choreography.’

But the Daily Mail‘s Jan Moir noted how ‘the first night curtain came down to a standing ovation and everyone in the packed theatre seemed to absolutely adore the show’.

In-action: The Great British Bake Off Musical received mixed reviews from critics, following its West End debut (John Owen-Jones, centre, as Phil Hollinghurst)

Baking stars: Following the format of the beloved programme, the production sees eight amateur bakers compete to impress two judges and battle their way to be crowned star baker

She wrote: ‘From the young woman with a purple Mohican to the three generations of the same family in front of me, the audience represented the immense span of the Bake Off appeal in one small theatre.’ 

Whatsonstage said the show was a ‘critic’s dream’ and ‘exudes a sweet smell of assured success’ in its four-star review.

The theatrical website wrote: ‘Will it win Oliviers? Probably not. But it also probably never wants to. Some characters feel more wafer-thin than others and the ending doesn’t quite get the showstopper it might have liked, but Bake Off is a guaranteed feel-good night-out that achieves everything it sets out to do.’ 

The Independent opted for three stars, claiming the musical ‘is heaps of fun and full of cracking songs’ while admitting the score is ‘let down slightly when the baking metaphors are forced on to more serious subject matter’.

Reviews: Whatsonstage said the show was a ‘critic’s dream’ and ‘exudes a sweet smell of assured success’ in its four-star reviews

Applause: But the Daily Mail ‘s Jan Moir noted how ‘the first night curtain came down to a standing ovation and everyone in the packed theatre seemed to absolutely adore the show’

The piece read: ‘Contestant Gemma (Charlotte Wakefield), sings about mother’s death in a song titled “Somewhere in the Dough”, and, when Italian Francesca (Cat Sandison) explores her problems to conceive in “Grow”, it’s through a heavy-handed “bun in the oven” metaphor.’

Speaking to the BBC, actor John revealed that Paul really enjoyed watching the show, which is based on the television series that has been running for 13 years – and gave him two Hollywood handshakes.

John said: ‘He gave me two handshakes after and is going to bring his mum back. He’d never even seen a musical before this.’

Elsewhere, he told the publication that he thinks the musical left Paul emotional – and claimed he had seen him wiping away a tear when the show came to an end.

John also opened up about playing a role based on a real person, admitting that it has been a challenge to get to grips with. 

He said: ‘When you’re portraying somebody like that you have a responsibility.

‘We gently tease and tweak the character to make it funnier and more theatrical but when I was asked to do it I thought this isn’t me at all – that was until I coloured my hair grey and I thought I looked a bit like him.’

John, who stars alongside Haydn Gwynne, who plays Pam Lee, also shared that he was mindful of Paul’s feelings and being careful not to offend him but that the judge is a ‘very lovely’ man. 

It comes after Prue was united with the actress who played her in a previous musical version of Bake Off at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham.

Prue was so delighted by the encounter that she immediately took off her earrings and gave them to her doppelgänger as a spontaneous gift. 

The chef, 82, met Rosie Ashe, 69, at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre in August.

Prue was gushing with compliments for the Olivier Award nominated actor but was particularly flattered by Rosie’s slender frame. ‘She told me she was thrilled I was slim and that I could sing and dance like a dream,’ Rosie said. 

Prue also complemented Rosie’s voice but noted their differences, admitting that she thinks her voice makes her sound as though she’s bored.

‘She said I caught the essence of her including her speaking choice which she said was more interesting than hers as she thinks she tends to sound as though she’s bored because of timbre. 

‘Which she never is of course. What a fabulous vibrant woman,’ Rosie enthused. 

‘I asked her if I could have her earrings as a joke, then as she left, she slipped them into my hand,’ she added.

The innuendo-filled musical is based on a fictional ‘unaired series’ of Bake Off – where the audience follows the contestants and judges but unlike in the TV show, they get to know them off-camera as well. 

At the time, the cast hoped the musical would make it to the West End – and now it has. 

The Great British Bake Off Musical is running for a 12 week limited run at the Noël Coward Theatre.

Doppelgängers! It comes after Prue (right) was united with the actress who played her in a previous musical version of Bake Off at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham