AT FACE value, it looked like the sort of programme that would probably be watched by retired people on a mid-week afternoon.

The ingredients were simple; a softly-spoken septuagenarian food writer, a no-nonsense Scouse bread-maker, and a sprinkling of amateur bakers. But mixed together, and left to rise, the result was a mouth-watering hit, and one of the BBC’s biggest ratings-pullers of recent years.

Tomorrow evening, millions will be glued to the climax of the fifth series of The Great British Bake-Off. Finalists Luis Troyano, Nancy Birthwhistle and Richard Burr will battle it out in the Bake-Off tent, watched closely by judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry.

“The standard has been fantastic this year,” says Paul, 48. “Some of the technical challenges we’ve picked have been really difficult, and the bakers have shown impressive skills.”

Key to the show’s success is its ethos of encouragement. The skills of amateur bakers, from students to grannies, are tested by sensible experts. There are no sob stories, no gimmicks, no lynch mob audience baying for blood, and no cruel put-downs. Paul’s steely glare and blunt assessments of over-proved dough or sagging sponge cakes are as close as it gets.

“Every time I give a criticism I say why. I say where they’ve gone wrong, and offer advice,” says Paul. “It doesn’t always get left in the edit, but it is constructive. Yes, it’s a competition, but there’s a lot of support in that tent.

“I want people to learn from me. I’ve always seen teaching as a big part of my career.”

There’s an element of teaching in Paul’s live tour, Get Your Bake On, coming to Bradford this autumn. The nation’s favourite artisan baker will talk about his life in baking, demonstrating recipes from his latest book, Paul Hollywood’s British Baking, and invite audience members on stage to bake with him.

“I jumped at the chance to do a tour and share my passion for baking with a live audience,” says Paul. “I’ll be giving little masterclasses; challenging four people to a different recipe, each one fairly simple. When people see it done in front of them they’re more inclined to have a go.

“It’s a fun show, I’m a bit of a joker and a giggler so hopefully the audience will see that side of me too.”

Paul’s route to baking came via the unlikely path of sculpting. “It’s not so unlikely really,” he smiles. “I trained as a sculptor but my dad persuaded me to join the family baking business. I’d grown up with home baking, it was in my DNA, but I also found it a creative outlet. With the showstopper challenges on Bake-Off you see that baking can be very artistic. Last week we had cocktail doughnuts, and look at Frances last year. (Frances Quinn, winner of the 2013 Bake-Off final, watched by nearly 10 million people, whose striking designs included a Midsummer Night’s Dream-inspired wedding cake).

“As long as you have the skills, you can be as creative as you like.”

Born in Wirral, Paul worked for his dad as a teenager and went on to be head baker at hotels around the world, including The Dorchester and The Cliveden. After a spell working in Cyprus, he landed guest slots on TV shows such as This Morning, and appeared regularly alongside Yorkshire chef James Martin, before The Great British Bake Off started on BBC2 in 2010, making him a household name.

When he’s not busy with Bake Off he runs an artisan baking business, writes books on bread, pies and puddings, presents his own TV shows and makes guest appearances at food festivals.

Paul’s easy-going partnership with Mary Berry has won them praise as a judging duo, and his honest, thorough approach on Bake Off, not to mention his twinkly eyes, have made him a hit with viewers.

When I told female colleagues I was interviewing Paul , there was audible swooning. “I love the way he walks around the tent with his shirt a little open, he’s a proper Alpha male,” said one. “I like the way he scrutinises each layer of a cake. It’s intense,” sighed another. For Paul, the beauty of Bake Off, and baking in general, lies in nostalgia. He still recalls the iced buns his dad used to bring home on Saturday afternoons “when wrestling was on the telly” .

“We associate baking with childhood; everyone remembers something their grandma used to bake,” says Paul. “Baking was traditionally passed down in families, but that seemed to miss a generation.”

Now baking has become hugely popular, thanks largely to Bake Off and the inspiring encouragement of Paul and Mary. With its weights, timings and temperatures, baking is a science – can anyone pull it off, or do you need an element of natural flair?

“With baking you have to follow certain rules – those who try to” wing it” come unstuck,” says Paul. “You need the basic skills to build on, then you can alter things and develop your creativity. You’re still using the same skills and manipulating something. Look at Martha (17-year-old quarter finalist in this year’s Bake Off) – she doesn’t have the experience of older bakers but she has the basic knowledge and her own style.”

He adds: “Baking is a skill every child should have. I think it’s critical that domestic science is an essential part of the school curriculum. Doing it for themselves enables children to understand what goes into food, then they can build on that knowledge.

“Baking something yourself is always better than buying it from a shop. To call it “better than shop-bought” is the best thing you can say about home baking!”

The first Bake Off winner was Edd Kimber, a former bank clerk from Thackley, who added his own twist to old family recipes for his debut cookery book. I tell Paul that Edd once described baking as “an extension of love” – taking a bunch of ingredients and turning them into food to share with loved ones. “That’s a bit wet!” smirks Paul. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call baking “love” but I know what he means. Home baking is something you enjoy together as a family, and pass down to future generations.”

Paul Hollywood is at St George’s Hall on Wednesday, December 3. For tickets call (01274) 432000.