The Great British Bake Off is apparently in the focus of a £100 million tug-of-war as its contract with Channel 4 expires.
The popular baking competition initially premiered on the BBC in 2010, before shifting to Channel 4 following its seventh season.
With Prue Leith taking over from Dame Mary Berry and Alison Hammond replacing host Matt Lucas, the famed Bake Off tent has seen many of changes – but it’s now claimed to be the subject of a bidding battle.
Sources say Creators Love Productions is evaluating possible buyers such as Netflix and Disney+.
An insider said: ‘Having two huge corporations enter the race has hugely inflated the value of the show, which is already sought-after due to its global appeal.
‘Streamers are also looking to combine their model with shows that air at the same time and day each week.’
They added to The Sun: ‘Netflix is already doing this with WWE wrestling and Disney+ recently bought the US version of Strictly.
‘The talk is they’re both looking to do the same with a big British show.’
This comes after Channel 4 cancelled numerous shows in recent months, including Steph’s Packed Lunch.
Screw, a prison drama, was cancelled earlier this month, only weeks after Rise and Fall, The Big Celebrity Detox, and the whole Kerrang! channel were reported to be on their way out.
Despite promises of a ‘major redesign’ and the inclusion of Alison, Bake Off has experienced a decline in viewership in recent years.
In 2022, it was the first to draw a viewership of eight million over the course of 28 days, failing to average nine million.
The finale drew 5.2 million viewers, two million fewer than the previous low in 2021.
These figures contributed to the season’s lowest rating since the format changed to Channel 4 in 2017.
The Great British Bake Off is available to watch on Channel 4.
Source My Celebrity Life.
