Great British Bake Off: BBC loses rights to broadcast show

BBC News : The BBC has lost the contract to broadcast The Great British Bake Off, the makers of the hit show have confirmed.

"The Great British Bake Off: BBC Loses Broadcasting Rights - What's Next?"
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Love Productions said negotiations with the BBC had been taking place for a year, with a last-ditch meeting on Monday.

A spokesman added 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”.

The opening show of the current series, the seventh, was watched by an average of 10.4 million viewers.

Bake Off was the most-watched programme of 2015, with 13.4 million people tuning in to see Nadiya Hussain win the last series.

‘Extraordinary journey’

 

Love Productions said in a statement: “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.”

The BBC said: “Working with Love Productions, we have grown and nurtured the programme over seven series and created the huge hit it is today.

“We made a very strong offer to keep the show but we are a considerable distance apart on the money. The BBC’s resources are not infinite.

“GBBO is a quintessentially BBC programme. We hope Love Productions change their mind so that Bake Off can stay ad-free on BBC One.”

“This has never been about who might write the biggest cheque, but about where we can find the best home for Bake Off.

“Unfortunately we were unable to agree either a fair valuation, and nor were the BBC able to provide the necessary comfort for the future protection of such a distinctive and much-loved television series.”

The show has won a total of nine Bafta awards, with four of them being won through a public vote.

Earlier this year it won at the National Television Awards in the category for Challenge Show, beating Bear Grylls: Mission Survive, Masterchef and The Apprentice.

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