Paul Hollywood's My London

Home is…

Aylesham in Kent. I love the open spaces and the smells from the fields are incredible.

Best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Know your worth and don’t take your eye off the ball.

Favourite London discovery?

The oldest pub in London, Ye Olde Mitre near Hatton Garden. Chris Evans took me there on a pub crawl.

Favourite shops?

Ducati in Tottenham to look at all the amazing motorbikes; Calvin Klein for jeans in any of the department stores. I also love Boden and I’m particularly fond of Armani suits. For presents, I’m good at buying jewellery, so I’ll see if anything catches my eye at the jewellery counters.

Best thing a cabbie has said to you?

‘Fare’s on me, mate.’ I share a lot of baking tips with cabbies, usually about consistency.

Ever had a run-in with a policeman?

I got nicked in Wandsworth ten years ago for going down a one-way street. The other end of the street was blocked off so my defence was I had no other way of getting through.

Best meal?

Scallops, veal fillet and a hot passion fruit soufflé followed by a glass of 64 Armagnac at Le Gavroche.

Earliest memory?

Visiting BBC Television Centre because we’d heard Starsky and Hutch were coming. I glimpsed Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul and it was the best thing ever.

What would you do as Mayor?

Restrict the times that big lorries can enter the centre of town, and lift the parking restrictions.

Best place for a first date?

A unique restaurant. Last year Tom Kerridge ran a pop-up at The Globe and the views across the river were very romantic.

Biggest extravagance?

My Aston Martin. I like to support British manufacturing, and I grew up with Bond so I always wanted one as a kid.

Favourite club?

I used to go to Chinawhite and The Kensington Roof Gardens when I lived in London.

Who do you call when you want to have fun?

Chris Evans. He knows everybody and gets into every venue. We talk about cars and baking. He’s mad about the former and is trying to get into the latter.

Best place to let your hair down?

The Club at The Ivy for a rum-based cocktail, then The Groucho.

First thing you do when you arrive back in London?

Jump in a taxi and do a tour of Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Fortnum’s.

Best part of the Christmas meal?

Going to sleep on the sofa afterwards feeling nicely bloated.

My one tip for Christmas pudding is…

Don’t put silver foil around the sixpence like my nan used to; I would hit the roof when I found one of those with my filling. Use greaseproof paper instead.