Considering that I go many weeks without watching anything on Channel 4, there is a good chance that I might not notice that it is on - I missed a programme on Channel 4 yesterday that I might have watched if I had known it was on.

It would be good if the BBC was allowed the money to have more people developing programme formats then having them made by independents but with the BBC holding onto the rights. They could make money on exporting the programmes and formats. they could also sell off the less successful formats as they might suit other broadcasters but still hold the rights.

Of course a few years ago some loony wanted any popular programme sold to the highest bidder so as soon as a programme became popular on the BBC then Sky, ITV or CH4 would be able to buy it. This should be avoided at all costs, apart from the loss of popular programmes on the BBC it would make these other broadcasters even lazier.

I just don't buy this "Love are the baddies, the BBC are the goodies" scenario that has seemingly been constructed around all this, with its soap-like subplot of lies, deceit, mistrust and villainy. It didn't work out and they have moved on, but I don't think the BBC are all that bothered, it is only people on social media who I think have turned it into this great drama for the most part.

I think you're right that the BBC aren't necessarily too bothered about the simple "TV show moves to other channel" aspect of the scenario, but I think they'll be very worried about the consequences and repercussions to other formats and their relationship with other indies. I'm certain there will be some big internal discussions and tweaks to legal documents to make sure this doesn't happen again.

If a commercial channel had picked it up then fair but Ch4 even though it is funded through advertising it remains a PSB and they should not be bidding against another PSB.

I agree mate. The problem will arise though surely as the Beeb own less and less of the IP over time...say ten/twenty years?

In light of the Bake Off debarcle, the Beeb does need to move in this direction.

But that's only going to be the case if there is a general move towards buying in formats rather than being creative in their own right, and I'm not sure that there's any evidence that this is or likely to be the case.

As you say above, the BBC needs to have more people creating new programmes & formats rather than relying upon external production companies to come up with the ideas. It might be an additional cost short/medium term, but should pay back over the longer term.

BBC News seems to be permanently trying to spin it as the most important thing ever, using every inch of their privileged access to British news audiences to get their side of the story well and truly across before Channel 4 is in any position to respond.

As someone said on BBC Breakfast last week, 'you're not still going on about this, are you?'. The man and woman in the street won't be remotely as concerned about this as the BBC and certain social media astroturfers seem to be.

I agree. The Beeb shouldn't become a publisher-broadcaster like Channel 4.

It is right for the Beeb to make sure that their side of the story is presented front and centre. For to long, the Beeb has been to passive. I expect it now to be much more aggressive. Put The Daily Mail back in it's box or Channel 4 or whoever it may be.

I think it is right to question the morality of a private provider who deems it acceptable to profit from public investment...so yes, this is a big deal. Of course I'd expect someone like you to attempt to play it down!!

Is Extra Slice filmed at the same time as Bakeoff or is it later as in when the show is aired, I ask because this Friday Danny Baker said to an audience member after tasting their bake they could be on the next series and then said "oh , I've been told we aren't allow to mention the next series" so wondered if it was current or was it just as they were negotiating during the period of filming.

It's filmed after the airing of the main programme. Otherwise there'd have to be a whole load of people, not only those who sit at the tables with the bakes they've made based on that week's programme, but the audience that sits behind the barrier behind them as well.

All the contestants sign a confidentiality clause that they will not release information on who went out when and who won. They're not even supposed to tell their fami;y. Remember Nadyia said she hid her trophy from her family other than her husband under the bed.

One point of the new BBC Charter states:

"Programme making will be opened to greater competition. The possibility of production by independent companies will exist for all BBC programmes except news and some parts of current affairs."

But they do need to make sure the independent companies are tied to them for the life of a programme.

I have to assume it's made in the week the 'main' show is broadcast, because the audience each week is hundreds of people - there's a full audience behind the section with the 'public bakers' in it - and all of them will by definition know who was eliminated in any given week. Keeping who wins and loses a secret with a couple of dozen people knowing is one thing, getting thousands of people to not give away who had been eliminated each week (and therefore people piecing together who wins in the end) seems to me an utterly impossible task. if all the 'extra slices' were filmed ages ago, the results WOULD have leaked.

That and also there seem to be 'baking running jokes' in the bake photos people send in via Facebook & twitter. People will know when they posted those pics for Love's attention and I'd suspect most of then come in once the main show is on TV to remind people. Not sure if anyone on here has got a pic broadcast but that would tel for certain...

Yes, programme making (which is what production companies & BBC Studios do). But it does not mean that the original programme ideas must come from those independent production companies.


I agree, if it is feasible.

Love Productions surely turn a profit already, and would also have done had they accepted the BBC's reported offer of £15m per year. Are you saying that wouldn't be acceptable to you?

When this new direction was mentioned some time ago I knew it would cause huge problems for the BBC and for the commercial companies involved.

This thing with ..Bake-Off is just the start.

The public will resent their TV Licence money being used to enrich anyone, even the executives of these so-called independent production companies.

At the time the contract was signed GBBO wasn't the phenomenon it has since become. Both the BBC and LP agreed the price for the contract and both parties were happy to sign.

Therefore at the time the contract was signed the BBC didn't have "GBBO at far less than the market price for so long" at all and it is wrong to say so.

Of course the BBC will very likely continue to work with Love Productions again, however it is likely that working relationship will be very different to how it was in the past.

If the working relationship between the Beeb and LP had irretrievably broken down to the extent C4 and LP claim it has, then presumably this would affect ALL the shows they have with the BBC so it's funny that it only seems to have thus far impacted GBBO as opposed to Throwdown and Sewing Bee. If in future those stay/continue with the Beeb then we can safely dismiss that story as a smokescreen put out by LP to justify the sale to C4.

A very good point.

Surely that would be very risky, what if the programme takes a massive dip in the ratings or the cost becomes less viable, take Ripper Street and The Voice for example, the BBC would have been be throwing good public money away. As much as the BBC wants to hold on to popular programming, it doesn't want to be tied into life contracts either, especially for untried formats and failing content.

Though it has been happening for many years. Many long running programmes have been outsourced with the people involved producing the programme taking early retirement / redundancy and using the lump payments to set up an independent company to carry on making the programme. I think some even more bought up things like the equipment used to make the programme. They usually then went on to become quite wealthy. The bean counters will 'prove' that it will save money but anything can be 'proved' with a bit of creative accountancy.

Isn't that a case of MRDA?