It sounds like they felt excluded from the discussions, and that was the main issue. I'm sure they had no issues with working with C4 as they have done in the past. But Love failed to convine them that this deal was being done for the right reasons and freezing them out was not in any way helpful to their cause.

Can we just take a moment to consider the price Love has managed to negotiate in these circumstances though? It's mindboggling, and to a certain extent you have to say fair play to them for pulling it off without the talent. As Emma Kennedy put it on Twitter, Jay Hunt has paid £75m for a tent!

Contracts haven't been signed yet actually. The announcement came last night as late as it did because, apparently, it was going to be in the papers today (Daily Mirror or Mail, can't remember which one) because somebody leaked it.

The BBC wouldn't have phrased the press release the way they did if they knew it was a done deal. I expect they've only agreed to the preliminary terms and they've jumped the gun to try and spin it in the right way before the press did.

Well, Thames signed a contract for Dallas back in 1985. There was so much backlash that they went back on the contract and handed it back to the BBC. I'm sure if the contract was signed yesterday, like any other contract, a cooling off period applies.

Yeah I think Mel and Sue, quite rightly, have felt left out of the process and felt they've been treated in an underhand way. I know they were both very gung-ho about it being a BBC show though, even a couple of years ago before it seemed possible Bake Off would ever move.

Maybe Love Productions are not too bothered ... counting their dosh. Theu hv killed their own programme. Two down two to go

Wow so Channel 4 now have a programme that's missing its two presenters. Who , love them or loathe them, are a huge part of the programme.

Are we likely to hear about Paul and Mary today, or...?

The quickest dismantling of a tv show ever, quite sad really

Slightly diferent situation. They didn't go back on the contract, they just sold the episodes to BBC at a loss due to the publicity around it. The BBC held back part of the prior season and planned to run it opposite Thames' new episodes, which meant the BBC figures would be better because people hadn't seen those episodes, let alone the newest ones.

There was a similar case with Friends as well. Sky tried to poach the rights when it was popular (Frasier too) but in both cases the companies said how much they appreciated Channel 4 had done for the shows and felt they would be better treated, despite getting less money for them. They politely told Sky to stick it.

I do wonder if the BBC will be reluctant to work with Love after this, Love may have got £75m from Channel 4 but at the expense of losing out on potential commissions from the BBC, they seem to mostly work with the BBC and Channel 4 with the odd shows for ITV and Sky.

What about Peter?

Except it wouldn't be officialy announced if nothing was firm. C4 must be already under some obligation.

Can't believe how quickly the biggest show on tv has collapsed, Paul and Mary won't go now

Any way you look at this Love have put money where their brains should have been and disregarded everyone and everybody other than their pension managers.

The presenters and the audience have either been ignored as sheep who will follow where we lead or replaceable if not. Rather than recognised as major ingredients in the success of the show.

A hit programme is a contract willingly entered into between the right format, the right presenters and the audience who enjoy it.

Put any one of those three things as more important than the others and you are soon going to have one ex hit programme.

Yes but there'll be what they call a "cooling off" period which is pretty standard in media and other things, where Love or Channel 4 could cancel the contract with no penalty.

Like I said, I imagine they didn't want to announce anything until that was over, but the press got hold of it and they wanted to get the jump on them.

I see a u-turn coming.

I'd stick a cheeky fiver on it


Judging by the backlash & media reaction over the last 24 hours, I think Love Productions may have burnt its bridges with regards to the 'Bake Off & BBC' relationship. Especially now that Mel & Sue have quit, it feels like it is all over for GBBO on BBC One.

If C4 did back out of it, the ball is very much in the BBC's court, and they could easily negotiate a price lower than the £15m they reportedly offered. Love have in a way backed themselves into a corner here. Both presenters are out, the £25m deal doesn't look good on them (money chasing) and the move will cause an inevitable decline in viewers.

Simply put, no one except the executives at Love Productions benefit here. It's a lose-lose situation.

I wonder if LP & C4 hv a contract cooling off period. Is it conceivable that the deal could collapse. The brand is now tainted

Ooops just seen same question above. Sorry!

Channel 4 won't have done lingering privatisation concerns any good, buying up big established shows is hardly what they're supposed to be for.

The Guardian tells us that for Love Productions directors to get the maximum payouts from SKY they need to hit some ambitious profit targets by 2018,with this deal they presumed they would, thats the main thinking behind this deal.All about the money for Loves directors.
Looking like it may not work out as easily as they planned now.Jay Hunt has rushed into this with her usual vigour and lack of thought.

The BBC now have a chance to get this right and come out looking very good indeed.

If Love and Channel 4 come back to them and confess they have made a mistake and the BBC keep the show and its presenters for a big saving to the public, they will be applauded for it.

If they quickly get the four signed up for 'Bake Off in all but name with the real presenters' and have time to get that on air before Channel 4 get the 'new' Bake Off substitute going then again they will get credit for doing the right thing to benefit the viewers.

They hold all the cards now it seems. Big turnaround from last night.

I did wonder when the BBC made a big deal on every news broadcast and such like of what had happened if someone, somewhere thought the game was far from done.

Without Mel and Sue, Channel 4 should be looking to do some hasty renegotiations. ITV won't touch it and the BBC don't have the money, so C4 are in the better position compared to Love.

It's hilarious that the country is more bothered about Bake Off rather than Brexit.

What a ridiculous situation. You expect all parties to have some sense after seeing situations like this time and time again in the past, but clearly money has clouded any judgement they may possibly have had. Remarkable.

Love Productions have really dismantled their own programme. All for money? I can't understand it. A lot of respect for Mel and Sue, they made the right decision.

And I kind of feel a little sorry for Channel 4. The negative reaction and the amount of money they've spent is pushing it closer to privitisation if (and I have to say when) it crashes and burns (pun intended). That would be a very sad day for broadcasting.

Do we know what's happening with the two Christmas specials? Are they going ahead, or have they already been filmed?

Wouldnt be surprised if someone isnt already putting together a documentary called The Great British Back Off about it all.