Paul Hollywood and wife to divorce after their marriage 'crumbled over his infidelities'

Following news of Paul Hollywood and wife Alexandra's imminent divorce, the question on everyone's lips is 'what led to the demise of their marriage?'

Insiders told The Sun that the writing had been on the wall for months despite the couple's best efforts to plaster over the cracks and show a united front.

Hollywood's affair with Marcela Valladolid in 2013, with whom he co-hosted the US version of GBBO, is said to have left Alexandra with trust issues. Although they reconciled just months later, she struggled to come to terms with his betrayal.

Sources claim his wandering eyes made her anxious despite his insistence that cheating was "the biggest mistake of my life".

It all came to a head on Monday (20 November) when the couple, who have a teenage son Joshua, confirmed that they were going their separate ways.

"It is with sadness that we have decided to separate," the pair, who married in 1998, said in a joint statement to the Press Association. "Our focus continues to be the happiness of our son, and we would ask the press and public to allow us privacy as a family during this very difficult time."

Although Alexandra had tried to give their marriage another try, their relationships crumbled under the weight of his infidelity, the insider said.

"The truth is they've worked really hard to salvage their relationship but just couldn't recover from the damage that had been done. The more famous Paul has become, the more attention he has been getting, and that has put huge strain on the marriage. Sadly, this has been on the cards for some time. Now they've made it official."

News of their split comes weeks after GBBO 2016 winner Candice Brown addressed rumours of an affair with Hollywood. The pair were captured sharing a friendly kiss after attending the Pride of Britain Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 30 October.

The tabloids reported that onlookers suggested they were so intimate that onlookers thought she was his wife. Taking to Twitter, Brown quipped: "No kisses or hugs hello or goodbye from now on - handshakes or waves only!"