Holiday Baking Championship host Jesse Palmer breaks his silence on Duff Goldman’s absence from the finale

Holiday Baking Championship host Jesse  Palmer addressed judge Duff Goldman’s absence in the finale episode. Duff Goldman has not publicly addressed the reason for his show's absence, and has been gearing up for the holiday spirit off the small screen. 

The host revealed the reason behind Goldman’s absence while welcoming chef Zac Young, saying, 

“Duff’s still feeling a little bit under the weather, so please welcome Zac Young, talented pastry chef.”

Holiday Baking Championship judge Duff Goldman was absent from the finale episode

The season 12 finale marked the third episode where judge Duff Goldman missed, as he is “a little under the weather.” On the show’s December 8 episode, show host Palmer jokingly addressed Goldman’s absence as he said that Duff was “in such Chrismukkah spirit that he left early to go to a Chrismukkah party.”

Charles Zimmerman has been crowned the latest winner of Holiday Baking Championship, as he celebrated the big win, 

“I can’t believe it,” he said in reaction to the win in a confessional. “I put everything I had into this cake, and I did it. I feel on top of the world, and I’m just thrilled that I got that win at the end. All of it was worth it.”

The chef made a big announcement recently as Goldman's wife, Johnna, praised Duff's fatherly skills, saying,

“The Father, who is a world-famous chef, yet makes ‘toat’ and fruit for every meal, every day, because the love of his life is 4. The Father that has been a tremendous example of what a loving Man, Husband and Father should be,” she wrote on Instagram. “I cannot reiterate enough that we are so effing lucky. We love you, sweet (bad) dada! You’re our best.”

Duff Goldman celebrates the holiday season with family 

While Duff Goldman was absent from the finale, he took to social media to celebrate the spirit of the holidays as he wrote, 

Happy Hanukkah, y'all! I think this year Hanukkah has had a special significance. It’s been a rough year for all of us, and the miracle of light gives us all a little more hope. We’ve been celebrating the light for thousands of years, and we will go on celebrating for thousands more.”

The light is the cure for the darkness, and when the darkness gathers, it is then most important that we remain in the light. We’re a global family, and we gotta stick together. When we’re scared, we get angry. And when we’re angry, we’re easy to control. Don’t let the darkness win.”

The celebrity pastry chef recently told PEOPLE in 2023   that welcoming a daughter inspired him to a healthier lifestyle.

“Making the right decisions becomes so much less of a chore because you’re making those decisions for somebody that’s relying on you."

Stay tuned for more updates.