So all the reports that it was likely to be headed to ITV were all made up... Again.

Love Productions is trending on Twitter for probably the first and almost certainly last time.

I just can't see it as a C4 show. Bake Off is easy, warm, comforting TV. C4 have never been about that.

Bake Off won't really work into a schedule if it's being followed by "Britain's Benefit Tenants" followed by "Sex Box".

C4 need to create a full schedule that matches the feel of Bake Off. Otherwise it'll stick out like a sore thumb.

BIB 1 - completely agree. Although, I imagine entertainment producers who have been pitching to C4 over the last couple of years will be pretty pissed. Jay Hunt, who at the TV festival recently said that she was looking for distinctly C4 entertainment shows, has revived a 90s classic & bought the most successful show on TV. Not quite 'distinctly C4'.

BIB 2 - it's definitely not the C4 way. In fact, it goes against everything they promote themselves to be. 'Born Risky' is their promotional line. Poaching a show doing 10m from Britain's biggest TV channel is not risky in any way.

BIB 3 - nothing brave about it. Even if Bake Off halves its overnight audience, C4 will be looking at its most successful show. That's pretty sad & desperate for Britain's 2nd biggest commercial channel that they can't regularly reach 5m with a home-grown show.

BIB 4 - poaching one show doesn't make it "a big big player in entertainment". Remember, they "merged" (effectively shut) their entertainment department with fact ent last year. That's their general opinion of entertainment. Wonder what changed??


D'ya think? Judging by this tweet from Patrick Foster at The Telegraph (who by the way, has been on point throughout this story), it seems the BBC knew that they were in the last chance saloon today. Love had planned today pretty well from their point of view.

Sue Perkins and Mel will move to Ch4. What career do these two have outside of Bake-Off. Perkins comedy flopped, so did their chat show.

They will stay with GBBO so will Paul. Mary will depart.

Lord Sugar seems to dislike the commercial TV sector and is always pro-BBC and slagging off ITV.

As you say, I find that quite strange for someone who made his millions buying and selling stuff in a commercial world. I'm sure he advertised his Amstrad products on ITV back in the day.

The Apprentice is way past its glory days though and that moving channels would certainly kill it off.

Actually, they handed it over early.

Gogglebox?

Why stay when they were not consulted on what was happening?

You talk very weirdly of a 9 million+ show after consolidated and iPlayer...

Well, I for one hope the BBC adopts a 'strangle-at-birth' strategy towards the C4 incarnation of Bake Off. It'll be just what LP deserve.

That's one hour a week for 6 months a year. Very few other shows similar to it.

Spot on re The Apprentice. A once great show that has been pretty poor for the last 4 years or so.

Well Sugar was the one who told Sky to up their bid for Premier League rights to 'blow itv out of the water'. Sugar was Spurs chairman. And Amstrad made dishes.

I've read on here that people think that GBBO was at its peak and set for a decline soon. Especially considering Mary's age. Sounds like Love sold at the right time then.

This is only a three year deal. If GBBO performs well, who is to say itv won't swoop in 2020?

Patrick Foster:

More Bake Off: I understand it's unlikely BBC will enforce its 1yr holdback clause - which would stop the main show airing next year

Public clamour for #GBBO* & potential accusation that BBC keeping it off air in fit of pique means holdback clause not likely to be enforced

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Credit today has to go to Foster who has broken each step of this story and has been on the money right the way through. The Telegraph might want to watch out, I'd imagine other outlets might be trying to poach him before long!

This statement from Jay Hunt from Channel 4 about C4 losing Black Mirror to Netflix is hilarious and a bit sad now :

In an unusually strongly worded statement, Channel 4 chief creative officer Jay Hunt said: “Black Mirror couldn’t be a more Channel 4 show.“We grew it from a dangerous idea to a brand that resonated globally. Of course it’s disappointing that the first broadcast window in the UK is then sold to the highest bidder, ignoring the risk a publicly owned channel like 4 took backing it.” https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...r-black-mirror

Channel 4 must be desperate for a hit of any kind and she used to work for the BBC

They should enforce it, its in the contract to protect themselves, and Ch4 were aware of it when they bought it so make them wait is what I say

If it were a commercial broadcaster in this position they'd undoubtedly enforce it and I wouldn't blame the BBC for doing so, but I can see the reasoning for not.

How I'd laugh if the BBC decided to pull the rest of the current series off air as revenge. They wouldn't do it, of course, it'd be ridiculous and unjustifiable behaviour, but it would be very funny.

This. FFS I'm annoyed with this news it belongs on BBC only, it's a proper BBC show through and through adverts? Good lord!!!!

I doubt they will. BBC would be slagged off rotten if they do did enforce it.

I'm sure Channel 4 and Love would make the reason why the show isn't airing in 2017 very public if the show is held back. But then again, isn't the BBC just protecting the "public's" money by executing that clause? Surely they paid extra for that and, at the end of the day, it's license fee payer's money going into the show. If the BBC explain that then I think there would be some sympathy and understanding in regards to the approach.

As the winners of wars get to write the history, the winners of the spin get to win the public's affections...it's all rather pathetic but there you go.

Yes but it's strongly associated with the C4 brand and feels very at home there.

The money has been spent. There is no reason to keep it off the air other than spite. That's a fine reason, would not blame them, but the BBC is not governed by ratings so it really would be on shaky ground.

GBBO hurts itv far more than the BBC. ITV really should revive Food Glorious Food now. Or something like it. There's an opening there.

https://twitter.com/patrickfoster2/s...06696642519040

The way they keep mentioning C4 being FTA in that statement makes it sound like it was between C4 or Sky.