Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood has described his affair with a TV colleague as 'the biggest mistake of my life' - and said he and his wife are now hoping reunite.
The baking guru split from Alexandra, his wife of 15 years, in the spring after beginning work on a US version of the programme amid reports he had been involved in a relationship with his co-star Marcela Valladolid.
In an interview with Radio 5 Live presenter Richard Bacon, Paul admitted he did have an affair, but said he was now trying to work things out with his estranged wife.
Until now he had kept his counsel about suggestions of a relationship, even though he and his fellow judge Marcela, 35, had been pictured together.
Confirming the affair he said he 'deserved' to be in the public glare over his behaviour, and accepted it as 'punishment'.
He said: "I did have an affair in America with my co-judge and it was something which... it was the biggest mistake of my life, because actually I still love my wife.
"I'm in that point at the moment where we're talking and we are working to get back together again, but it's going to take time and at the end of the day I don't mind talking about that now because I'm asking the press to give us privacy. That's exactly what we need at the moment."
He went on: "What I did was wrong, but I think now we just need that space."
Paul - whose fourth Bake Off series finished last week with Frances Quinn taking the honours - said he was surprised there had been so much interest in his marriage woes as he had not realised the level of fame he had attained.
"I didn't think anyone was interested in me for a start which is why I was shocked about the whole thing kicking off the way it did."
But he added during the live interview on Wednesday: "I deserved it and I am taking it as my punishment as well. But at the end of the day we're moving on and I'm in a much better place."
The full interview can be heard here.
