Paul Hollywood has revealed he will need surgery on his hands after a 12-year battle with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common medical condition caused by pressure on the median nerve as it passes through a narrow, rigid passageway of bones and ligaments in your wrist known as the carpal tunnel. Great British Bake Off judge Paul, 60, took to Instagram on Saturday to explain why he was wearing arm supports at the airport. Paul said: ‘I’ve got Carpal tunnel syndrome. I was diagnosed about 12 years ago now. It’s severe in both. It’s down to my job from working with dough for over thirty years. Occasionally it flares up and I wear a brace.The presenter added the condition was aggravated by testing a race car a few months ago and hurt his hand with the steering wheel spinning round.Paul said wearing a brace helps provide support and stabilises his hands when the condition flares up. Paul Hollywood has revealed he will need surgery on his hands after a 12-year battle with Carpal Tunnel SyndromeHe added he would need surgery on both of his hands soon. It comes after the new series of Great British Bake Off kicked off last month and viewers got their first look at his new judging partnership with Nigella Lawson, who has replaced Prue Leith in the famous Bake Off tent. And Nigella rose to the occasion as she made her debut with critics lavishing praise on the long-running show’s new hiring, declaring Nigella has revitalised the somewhat stale format after 17 series.The Daily Mail’s Jan Moir was delighted to see that show veteran Paul, 60, has ‘met his match’ in Nigella. ‘It seemed to me that across all series he assumed a leadership and a patriarchal seniority of rank that wasn’t always his to take… Well, those days are over, mister. This time around Hollywood has been put firmly back in his cake box,’ Moir wrote in her glowing review.Anita Singh gave a five-star review for The Telegraph, declaring that ‘Bake Off and Nigella are a match made in heaven.’Singh added that Nigella ‘brings a new lease of life, glamour, intelligence and poise. And, of course, a hefty dollop of innuendo.’The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan also awarded the opening episode five stars, writing of Nigella: ‘She moves through Bake Off dispensing words of wisdom, generous praise and gentle criticism, just as confident as Leith but a much quieter, more soothing presence that works perfectly with Alison Hammond’s ebullience and Paul Hollywood’s teacher-ish vibe.’ It comes after the new series of Great British Bake Off kicked off last month and viewers got their first look at his new judging partnership with Nigella LawsonWHAT IS CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME? Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition which is caused by pressure on a nerve in the wrist, usually imposed by internal swelling.People with carpal tunnel include pain, tingling or numbness in the fingers, hands or arms, and potential weakness in the thumb or difficulty gripping things.The symptoms usually start slowly and aren’t uncomfortable all the time, tending instead to come and go.Although the condition can affect people of any age, it’s more common among women and people in middle or old age.Things which may increase someone’s risk of developing carpal tunnel include being overweight, having arthritis or diabetes, a family history of the condition, having a job which requires a lot of bending of the wrist, gripping or holding vibrating objects, or having a past injury in the wrist.Possible treatments include wearing a wrist splint to keep the joint stable and straight, taking steroids to reduce swelling, and even surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve if other methods haven’t worked.Source: NHS <!- – ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/us/tvshowbiz/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 – ->
Ben Dowell for The Times was also full of praise, writing: ‘Nigella took to Bake Off as a domestic goddess should: with all the sensual, self-confident elegance of a world-renowned patissier placing a raspberry on smooth butter icing. Even her co-judge Paul Hollywood — not a man who dishes out praise easily — seemed impressed by her charm and know-how. She was brilliant.’Writing for Metro in a four-star review, Adam Miller says: ‘The Domestic Goddess is easily the best thing that could ever have happened to Bake Off… And from the very first episode it’s clear to see she is the lifeline Bake Off needed to ensure it could easily have another decade or more in it yet.’Sasha Morris for the Express admitted though that Nigella didn’t shake up the show as much as she had hoped.’Nigella added a new touch of glamour to the show and was a soft contrast to Paul’s stern critique, offering more nuanced feedback to the bakers versus Paul’s technical. However, it seemed she simply fitted into the format, rather than shaking things up, and after 17 seasons, you need to keep it fresh,’ she wrote.The Independent’s Nick Hilton was similarly disappointed, writing that ‘Nigella’s arrival might have been an opportunity for a harder refresh,’ adding that after two decades and the spawning of multiple imitators, ‘the format is very tired’. Viewer reaction was universal in its praise of Nigella, with fans praising Nigella for making the most of the chance to taste the bakers’ creations by helping herself to a big portion.They wrote: ‘Yay – Nigella Lawson is back on the telly!’ and ‘Crying at Bake Off having Prue Leith ‘regenerate’ into Nigella Lawson”Love how Nigella is inhaling these cakes – proper tasting, what a woman!”Nigella bringing back the joy, wit and honesty that Mel and Sue had.”Think this means Nigella Lawson is now officially the incumbent Doctor”Nigella Lawson on Bake Off. My goodness. I adore that woman. Absolutely adore Nigella Lawson. I’m deeply content at the moment.’