A BBC show to rival the Great British Bake Off, featuring Mary Berry, Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, could be launched before Channel 4 is able to get its version on screens, according to a source at the corporation close to the show.
Channel 4 bought the Bake Off format from Love Productions earlier this month, but rumours about a BBC rival have been rife since Perkins and Giedroyc said they would not be “going with the dough” and jumping ship. They were followed in pledging their loyalty to the BBC by Berry.
Paul Hollywood, Berry’s fellow judge, will continue in his role when the show moves channels.
It is now only a matter of time before the BBC announces its Bake Off battle plan, with “lots of ideas” being discussed, a source told the Guardian.
“We have not ruled anything out and we could well reunite Mel, Sue and Mary,” the source said. “And yes, we could probably get a show out before Channel 4, if we chose to do so. We are looking lots of ideas, although we are not yet ready to make an announcement.”
It is understood that Channel 4 may not be able to get its first Bake Off show on air until summer 2018, if the BBC enforces a clause allowing the corporation to block filming until a year after next month’s finale. The BBC looks set to air a festive edition of the show, filmed in June, on Christmas Day.
The BBC, which has the right to license the Bake Off format overseas until 2028, is thought to be confident that a new baking show, with a different name and format, would not infringe copyright.
Fiona Lindsay, Berry’s agent, rejected a Sunday Mirror report claiming that she may work for another year before retiring. “That’s simply wrong; she has lots of exciting projects coming up, including on TV with the BBC, and has absolutely no plans to retire,” Lindsay said.
A BBC source said: “It’s a given that Mary is a priority for the BBC, as long as the sun shines. We feel no need to reiterate how much we love her and how important she is to the BBC. We are delighted that she has chosen to stay and the public are as well.”
Hollywood has faced criticism from some fans of the show for remaining with Bake Off as it moves to Channel 4. A friend told the Sunday Mirror that the baker said his loyalty was to the show, not the broadcaster. “His heart belongs in that tent, and the show lets him work with ordinary people who share his love of baking,” they said.
Meanwhile, Channel 4 is likely to face questions by a committee of MPs, who will ask if the broadcaster has upheld its duty to champion innovative programming. Damian Collins, the acting chair of the culture, media and sport select committee, said “we will have the BBC and Channel 4 in front of the committee and Bake Off is something that we will ask about,” the Sunday Telegraph reported.
The former culture secretary John Whittingdale has expressed his “surprise” at the channel’s decision to bid for Bake Off.
