‘The Great British Bake Off’ to Stay on Channel 4 Until at Least 2024 as Broadcaster Signs New Deal With Love Productions
“The Great British Bake Off” is set to remain on Channel 4 for at least another three years, the broadcaster confirmed today, after it re-upped its deal with Love Productions.
The new agreement will run until 2024.
More from Variety
Channel 4 Renews 'Unapologetic,' First Commission From Groundbreaking Black to Front Showcase
Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham Drama 'Help' Sells to U.S. Streamer Acorn TV (EXCLUSIVE)
The show is one of Channel 4’s biggest hits. The 2020 “Bake Off” final attracted 11.5 million viewers, a 41.8% share of the viewing audience, while this year’s season is the biggest first run unscripted series on its streaming app All 4.
This year’s season, its twelfth, launched in September and is averaging 8.7 million viewers per episode, beaten only by the BBC’s “Strictly Come Dancing as the most watched unscripted show of the year.
The deal between Love Productions, a Sky Studios company, and Channel 4 also includes “Bake Off: An Extra Slice,” “Junior Bake Off,” “Bake Off: The Professionals,” “The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer” and “The Great Pottery Throw Down.”
“We are thrilled that Channel 4 will continue to serve up ‘Bake Off’s’ unique combination of warmth, humour and soggy bottoms for years to come,” said Channel 4’s chief content officer, Ian Katz. “‘Bake Off’ is all about optimism, celebrating eccentricity and bringing the nation together – precisely what a publicly owned Channel 4 is here to do.”
Richard McKerrow, chief executive of Love Productions, said: “We are delighted to have extended ‘Bake Off’s’ stay on Channel 4 for another three years. Love Productions’ long-term commitment with Channel 4 illustrates a deep, warm, mutual respect and partnership which enables us to bring ‘Bake Off’ to the widest audience possible.”
Channel 4 also unveiled two “Bake Off” seasonal specials. One is a celebrity special with the cast of “It’s A Sin,” including Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Nathaniel Curtis and Shaun Dooley, and the other, titled “The Great Festive Bake Off” sees former contestants Kim-Joy and Jon (from season 9) and Hermine and Rowan (from season 11) return to try their hands at some seasonal bakes.
“The Great British Bake Off” originally launched on BBC 2 in 2010 before controversially moving to Channel 4 in 2017 after Love Productions failed to come to terms with the BBC. The show lost three quarters of the original cast – judge Mary Berry and hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins – in the move, with Berry replaced by Pru Leith and Giedroyc and Perkins by Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig.
Last year Toksvig was replaced by comedian Matt Lucas.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
