Paul Hollywood’s ex Summer Monteys-Fullam furiously accuses him of having relationship with barmaid 17 years his junior

PAUL Hollywood’s ex Summer Monteys-Fullam has furiously accused him of having a relationship with a barmaid 17 years his junior.

Summer, 24, said the Bake Off judge, 53, was seeing publican Melissa Spalding after moving on from her.

But the Channel 4 star claimed he only knows Melissa, 36, from his time boozing at the Chequers Inn in Smarden, Kent.

The pub is not far from the £1million home Paul used to share with Summer.

Sources say Summer confronted Paul this week about an alleged relationship, which he denies, as their war of words escalates.

Summer, who also met Paul while she was working behind a bar, is said to have become suspicious when their relationship started to hit the skids.

A pal said: “Paul started going to the pub by himself.

“She found it odd because he would pass a pub near their home to reach the Chequers, and spend time propping up the bar when Mel was working.

“Melissa is an extrovert and has let slip to locals she has a close friendship with Paul. Everyone in the village is talking about their closeness.

“It got back to Summer, and she hit the roof.”

Locals told how Paul and grammar school-educated landlady Melissa had been growing increasingly close.

Paul is said to have been drinking in the Chequers, believed to be owned by her parents, up to three times a week.

Paul and Melissa, who loves travelling and gardening, also raised eyebrows after following each other online.

The Sun understands that Melissa has been named in intense rows between Summer and Paul. An insider said: “Summer has a lot to say on the matter but is trying to keep her powder dry.

“Paul insists that there was no crossover and he is just mates with Melissa and has been previous to his split from Summer.”

Summer dumped Paul in August and it then turned nasty when she returned to their home to collect her possessions, with Paul firing off a string of angry messages.

We revealed yesterday how Paul and Summer are still at war over her belongings — including a £25 purple bucket. He wants her to pay half the value of the plastic pail as their split gets increasingly bitter.

It is among £500 of items they are squabbling over, including an auto-feeder for the horses.

She was suing him for defamation but has now dropped the legal claim.

A spokeswoman for Paul said: “There has never been a relationship between Paul and Melissa.”

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