'I broke down and cried like a baby': Bake Off's Paul Hollywood makes emotional discovery about his Second World War hero grandfather's past on BBC ancestry show   

Paul Hollywood has admitted he was reduced to tears after delving into his grandfather Norman Harman's traumatic wartime past for a BBC programme.

The 49-year-old TV judge found out that the facial tick his WWII hero ancestor suffered with was caused by years spent under heavy bombardment as a anti-aircraft gunner trying to stop the Nazi raids.

Speaking about the discovery on Who Do You Think You Are?, Paul said: 'When I found out that that's what it was, I did break down and cry like a baby for about half an hour.

Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood delves into his ancestry on BBC1 programme, Who Do You Think You Are?

'I was very close to my granddad and that affected me a lot,' he told the Daily Mirror.

After his parents divorced when he was 10 years old, Paul revealed on the TV show that he became very close to his maternal grandparents Norman and Amy Harman.

He grew up near them in Wallasey in Merseyside, but despite this he knew little about his grandfather’s life and particularly his experiences during the Second World War.

'We were close – I felt close to my granddad. I think it was just part of the way our family was,' he said. 

'I know during the war he spent time in North Africa, and I know he spent time in Italy, Anzio, and that is pretty much it.'

Norman, who died 12 years ago, married Amy in 1940 and was then conscripted, leaving when she was pregnant with their first child, Paul's mother Jill. 

He did not meet his daughter until she was three years old, serving with the 90th LAA Royal Artillery Regiment in Britain, Tunisia and Italy from 1940 to 1945. 

Paul Hollywood's grandfather Norman Harman served with the 99th AA regiment Royal Artillery in Britain, in Tunisia and Italy from 1940 to 1945

Paul’s journey on the show takes him first to North Africa. 

Norman had only just completed his training when he found himself in Medjez el Bab in Tunisia as part of the Light Anti-Aircraft division tasked with protecting infantry from enemy air attack during a major Allied offensive to take Tunis from the Germans. 

Sergeant Norman and his five-man crew fired 120 rounds a minute at Nazi planes, from a spot called Banana Ridge. 

As they were pounded by bombs and missiles, taking cover or abandoning guns was not an option. 

The day before the planned advance on Tunis, the Germans launched a counter-attack with battle-hardened troops, tanks and bombers. 

Paul was told this was Norman's first experience of close combat warfare. Holding back the tears he said it must have been 'absolutely terrifying' for his grandfather.

Two weeks later the Allies successfully took Tunis.  

After his parents divorced when he was 10 years old, Paul Hollywood became very close to his maternal grandparents Amy and Norman Harman 

Paul then travels to Italy where he discovers his grandfather was part of the landing force that became surrounded by German forces and trapped on the beaches at Anzio for four months, under constant aerial bombardment. 

Taking Paul to the spot where his grandfather should have landed, military historian Richard Doherty said: 'He would have felt like a sitting duck out there, seeing death and devastation all around him.'

When Norman finally made it to shore his gun was transported five miles inland. 

But the regiment was soon surrounded by Germans in a dangerously exposed area. Thousands of men had to dig themselves into 7ft long fox holes where they lived with their guns for months on end with no respite from Nazi shell attacks. 

Richard added: 'No men can understand what these men have gone through.'

In a poignant moment at Anzio, Paul wrote, 'Norman was 'ere' in the sand in tribute to his late grandfather.

'I always said to myself that I wouldn’t get emotional – it’s difficult to know that he was here,' he said. 

'It winds me up that I can’t talk to him about it because I feel now, I feel closer to my granddad now than I have since he died. 

'He’s been here. I just want to talk to him about it and it’s so frustrating that I can’t.' 

Thanks to the regiment's extraordinary efforts, the stalemate at Anzio was broken in May 1944 and the Allies went on to liberate Rome the following month, with the loss of 14,000. 

Norman's war record was described as 'exemplary'. 

Brave Norman Harman suffered a facial tick due to the trauma he experienced during Second World War 

But the trauma had a lasting impact on him and he developed a facial tick that stayed with him until he died. 

Paul became visibly tearful as he spoke out about the fact that his grandfather never sought help for the post-traumatic stress that was likely to be behind the tick. 

Richard Doherty added: 'He was living in constant fear of being killed. Day after day, hour after hour, there was no escape. That tick was probably his subconscious still reacting to aircraft sounds and memories.'

Having gained an understanding of his grandfather’s experiences during World War Two, Paul also travels to the Highlands of Scotland on the trail of his great, great, great, great grandfather – who he discovers was a postman. 

Unable to afford a horse, Donald McKenzie ran 120 miles with the mail every week, delivering letters to 30,000 people.    

'Before this I knew nothing about my ancestors and very little about my grandad,' Paul said. 

'But now, I’ve got something to hang my hat on. I know all about my grandad’s war, which was incredible, and I know about my ancestors on this particular branch of the family that takes me back to the Highlands of Scotland – The McKenzies. 

'And to be here, part of it all, and know it – is magic!”