BBC Loses The Great British Bake Off

The BBC has lost its deal to broadcast The Great British Bake Off, the makers of the international hit have confirmed. Love Productions said talks with the BBC had been taking place for a year, with a last-ditch meeting on Monday. They were reported as saying the issues were both money and the development of the brand.

The BBC said it hoped Love Productions would “change their mind so that Bake Off can stay ad-free on BBC One”.Love Productions said the BBC had revised its offer to them ahead of Monday but it was rejected. Asked if the decision could be reversed, they said it could not.

Bake Off was the most-watched programme of 2015, with 13.4 million people tuning in to see Nadiya Hussain win the last series.
The opening show of the current series, the seventh, was watched by an average of 10.4 million viewers.

Love Productions said: “After an extraordinary six-year journey with the BBC, Love Productions announces with regret that it has been unable to reach agreement on terms to renew the commission of The Great British Bake Off.

“We will now be focusing on finding a new partner to develop the familiar show that the British public turn to in their millions.
“Love Productions would like to thank the BBC for the role it played in making this show such an enormous hit, and the faith they showed in us over the years to develop it.”

ITV is thought the most likely winner of the rights, though this has not been confirmed.