If you know your way around the kitchen, or just have a thing for British baking television shows, Paul Hollywood is a name that you’re likely to recognize. You may know the name, but did you know that there’s something more to those bright blue eyes?
Paul Hollywood is colorblind, though his visual impairment is only linked to the color green and certain shades of blue. Because his colorblindness is not too severe, it doesn’t have much of an impact on his day-to-day life.
Let’s find out more about Paul Hollywood and his famous eyes, as well as take a look at which other celebrities have visual impairments. Be sure to read this article to the end as there are bound to be some names on the list of the visually impaired that surprise you even more than Paul’s may have.
Who is Paul Hollywood?
For those of you who aren’t constantly covered in flour or who don’t know the difference between a macaroon and a macaron, here’s what you need to know about Paul Hollywood.
Paul was born on 1 March 1966 in a Cheshire town called Wallasey. He was born to parents John F. Hollywood and his wife Gillian M. Harman.
John is a baker and started a chain of bakeries called ‘Bread Winner’. As a result, Paul grew up around baking and the transition from hobby to career path was a natural one.
After working in his father’s bakeries as a teenager, first in York and then on Merseyside, Paul began working as the head baker at several hotels. He eventually decided to take his talents overseas to Cyprus before returning back to the United Kingdom.
His incredible baking abilities, combined with his handsome looks, charming character, and affable personality, meant that Paul was practically made for TV.
Paul appeared on many television programs including ‘The Heaven and Earth Show’ and ‘This Morning’ before landing a gig on a show called ‘The Great British Bake Off” as a judge.
Nobody could have predicted the show’s staggering success, but it was the secret ingredient in Paul’s ascension from celebrity chef to straight-up celebrity.
How Being Colorblind Impacts Paul Hollywood
Paul’s piercing blue eyes have long been a topic of conversation — not to mention daydreams. They’re so blue that many people believed that colored contacts were the explanation.
But the baker set the record straight in an interview with Planet Radio. Colored contact lenses aren’t to thank, but rather his grandfather Norman Harman.
He said, “I was looking at photographs and they’re very, very similar, so it’s my Grandad I’ve got to blame for them.”
Paul surprised contestants, his fellow judges, and the ‘Bake Off’ audience when he revealed that he was colorblind. The revelation left people wondering if he was even able to see the colorful creations that his bakers created.
The short answer is yes. According to Paul, the longer answer is “It’s only shades of green and some blues. If someone makes something green, I’ll see the same colour but the shade will appear slightly different to me.”
So, other than not being able to tell just how green or blue a cake is, Paul’s colorblindness doesn’t have any negative impact on his life — nor his career or competency as a judge.
Which Other Hollywood Celebrities Are Visually Impaired?
Though Paul is a notable member of the colorblind club, he’s not the only celebrity that doesn’t have ‘normal’ eyesight. In fact, there are many celebrities that don’t see the world in the same way that you do.
Several A-list celebrities are colorblind, just like Paul. The list of colorblind celebrities includes Bill Clinton, Howie Mandel, Keanu Reeves, Mr. Rogers, and Mark Zuckerberg.
A handful of celebrities also have a visual condition called synesthesia, which means that they experience one sense at the same time as another — such as hearing colors. Pharrell Williams, Billie Eilish, Lorde, and Alessia Cara have all been diagnosed with synesthesia.
Many other celebrities suffer from visual impairments. Bono has photophobia, which is why he almost always wears dark glasses and Avril Lavigne has suffered from Lyme diseases and Lyme-related light sensitivity.
And finally, apl.de.ap was born with nystagmus, Tiger Woods has had LASIK surgery twice to improve his myopia, and Johnny Depp is blind in one eye and near-sighted in the other.