Blake Lively has hilariously attempted - and failed - to get one of Paul Hollywood’s signature handshakes, following her recent visit to the set ofThe Great British Bake Off.
The actor, 36, took to Instagram on 25 August to reveal that Hollywood made an appearance in a new ad for her line of alcoholic drinks, Betty Booze. In the commercial, Lively arrived at the celebrity chef’s home uninvited and knocked on his door with a case of the canned cocktails in her hands.
As Hollywood opened the door for the A-lister, he poked fun at her unexpected arrival, saying: “Hello Blake. Nice to see you… again… at my home.” Lively smiled at the chef and entered his home, as she responded: “Don’t mention it.”
The ad continued with the Gossip Girl star introducing her line of cocktails, which she said was made using all of her “own recipes”. She then asked the chef for his “professional opinion” on the drink.
As Hollywood grabbed a can and took a sip, he mentioned to Lively that he thought she “didn’t drink alcohol”. She acknowledged that while she’s a non-drinker, alcohol has been used in a majority of the food she eats. “Oh I don’t drink alcohol, I eat it,” she said. “Bourbon and whipped cream, sherry vinaigrette. Really hard pressed to find anything I cook without alcohol.”
Hollywood then gave his candid review of the Betty Booze drinks. “I really like it. It is absolutely beautiful,” he said. “I think really good.”
After he praised the flavours in the drink, he reached his hand towards Lively - seemingly in an effort to shake her hand. Lively’s eyes then widened in excitement, as Hollywood’s hand started to glisten. She started to reach her hand towards his, before she realised that Hollywood was actually just grabbing another can of Betty Booze. He poked fun at his gesture, saying that the drink was “just so easy to grab and go”.
Meanwhile, Lively covered her mouth with her hand, seemingly embarrassed she thought that Hollywood wanted to shake her hand.
In the caption of the Instagram video - which she shared on her 36th birthday - Lively revealed she had the opportunity to visit the TV presenter’s home. “Finally made it in Hollywood,” she wrote. “Happy birthday to me.”
Many fans and famous faces rushed to the comments, where they praised the ad and expressed their amusement over Lively’s attempt to get a handshake from Hollywood.
“The (non)handshake is everything. Happy birthday to my friend Miss @bettybooze,” actor Hugh Jackman wrote.
“The way I gasped when he stuck his hand out - and then I cackled,” another fan added, while a third wrote: “So brilliant and playful. I don’t drink alcohol but I might drink a Betty Booze!”
Betty Buzz - the owner of Betty Booze - went on to make a quip about the ad, commenting: “The Great British Blake Off.”
Hollywood also reposted the commercial on his Instagram, where he joked about Lively’s uninvited appearance at his home and celebrated her birthday.
“How exciting that @blakelively wanted to spend her birthday with me, in my home, unannounced,” he wrote in the caption. “At least she brought showstopping @bettybooze refreshments. Happy Birthday Blake X.”
The commercial also comes two months after Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, visited Hollywood on the set of The Great British Bake Off. In June, the chef shared a post to Instagram of himself, Reynolds and fellow judge Prue Leith, as they stood outside of the iconic Bake Off tent.
“Prue and I catching up with @vancityreynolds,” Hollywood wrote in the caption. “#legend.”
He later shared a snap of himself and Lively in the tent, alongside a caption that read: “Sorry Prue, Blake (@blakelively) has taken your seat… welcome to cake corner Blake.”
In June, Lively announced the release of Betty Booze, two years after she launched her Betty Buzz company - which makes sparkling, non-alcoholic mixers.
“Drinking isn’t my thing. But for f**** sake, flavour is,” she captioned an Instagram post about her alcohol brand. “Homemade recipes. Real fruit. Real ingredients. Quality booze. No crap. Also a real time saver. Which is why I really did it.”
While promoting her brand on her Instagram Stories at the time, Lively - who shares four children with Reynolds - also referenced her family. “These are recipes I’ve been making for loved ones for years. But I have four kids now,” she wrote. “And I’m tired. So here they are. In a can. Enjoy Responsibly... ish.”
However, the announcement of Betty Booze had sparked a debate among her fans and followers, with many questioning the A Simple Favor star’s decision to launch an alcohol brand when she doesn’t drink.
