Channel 4 has quashed rumors about The Great British Bake Off potentially moving channels after ITV agreed to sell its media and entertainment division to Sky in a historic £1.6 billion deal announced on July 6.
The sale includes ITV’s terrestrial channels and streaming service ITVX but notably excludes ITV Studios, the production arm behind popular shows like I’m A Celebrity and Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. ITV Studios will operate independently as a publicly traded content business on the London Stock Exchange once the sale finalizes. It will maintain a long-term content supply relationship with the new merged Sky and ITV entity.
This restructuring raised speculation that Bake Off might leave Channel 4 and move under ITV’s umbrella, especially since ITV is acquiring Love Productions, the company producing Bake Off.
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However, Channel 4 has confirmed that its contract with Love Productions remains intact. A spokesperson told The Telegraph, “Channel 4’s GBBO deal is with Love and as such is unaffected by the Sky ITV deal.” They added, “The show’s existing multi-year agreement with Love remains in place, meaning Bake Off fans can continue to enjoy the show on Channel 4 as usual.”
Sky, owned by Comcast, is planning a corporate split that will integrate Sky’s European operations with NBCUniversal. Dana Strong, Sky’s CEO, emphasized the benefits of combining Sky and ITV’s media assets to create a powerhouse in free-to-air, pay TV, and streaming, ensuring British audiences continue to access high-quality programming.
ITV chairman Andrew Cosslett highlighted that the move secures ITV’s role as a vital public service broadcaster and will help the combined company better compete with global streaming services.
For now, The Great British Bake Off remains a staple of Channel 4’s lineup, continuing to delight viewers across the UK.