BBC loses Great British Bake Off

This could cost Jay Hunt (who has survived a lot of criticism in her early years at C4) her job.

Patrick Foster (Daily Telegrpah Media Correspondent- who broke both parts of the story yesterday) tweets earlier that we were unlikely to hear from Mary Berry today but might from Mel & Sue - that's proved correct.


The longer it goes without a statement from either / both the more likely it is they'll move with the programme - not definite (it may take them a while to decide not to, they may want to meet with Love / C4 first) but it could mean they are discussing the terms of a contract. Unless of course they agree an outline one quickly and then work on the fine details - that's something C4 would want to announce soon to make it appear that it won't be all change.

They can hang out the bunting at channel 4 HQ from the tent... Better get their monies worth!

"We are not going with the dough"

Double meaning from Mel and Sue (and a clever one as well) but, that blow was aimed right at Love Productions...

Text from inside BBC: “Unbridled joy among BBC news staff that their former colleague Jay Hunt has ****ed something up quite so drastically"

— Neil Midgley (@NeilMidgley) September 13, 2016

Quite extraordinary. I've a feeling this will go down as something of a turning point in the history of broadcasting in the uk. Many shows have moved from channel to channel over the years of course, but few have done so at the peak of their popularity and to have one move in such bitter circumstances (it seems) actually seems to have hit a nerve with the viewers. I worry for the BBC amidst all this and I hope they learn as many lessons as Channel 4 do. If this sets a precedent (should the show succeed on Ch4) then could it lead to the BBC spending money developing more shows and finding their audiences only for someone else with more money to nick every idea lock, stock and barrel? What a sad state of affairs that would be.

Can anyone enlighten why so much hate for Jay Hunt from BBC news has she baked up other TV series?

There is a reason for the long standing unwritten "Dallas" rule - it gets messy and nobody ends up winning in the long run.

Can anyone remember when Saturday Kitchen was taken lock, stock and barrel (apart from the name- presumably the BBC had the rights to that) to ITV, so the BBC found a new company and host to make a new version of Saturday Kitchen. That's still going over a decade later... and what happened to Saturday Cooks?

Wasn't Channel 5's "Fifth Gear" a similar scenario?

Didn't many/most/all of people who had been working on old-style Top Gear at the time of its axing in 2001 - both in front of and behind the camera - basically set up their own production company to produce essentially the same show for another broadcaster (having to use a different title, as "Top Gear" was a BBC copyright)?

I believe that Jeremy Clarkson had already quit old-style Top Gear at least one season before its original axing, hence him not being part of the "Fifth Gear" move and subsequently pitching the "reboot" format of recent history to the Beeb.

I guess at least with the Top/Fifth Gear scenario it was the case of the BBC axing it and the show getting a new home, unlike Saturday Kitchen/Cooks which was a GBBO scenario of a current and popular show being poached while still in production.

No doubt Mel & Sue will get another BBC vehicle in reward of their loyalty but it'll probably flop and they'll wish they'd have gone with the cash.