The BBC could be facing a fight to hang on to The Great British Bake Off.
The channel’s deal with the popular cooking show – which stars Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry as judges – is up after the forthcoming seventh series, and reports claim that ITV is lining up to poach it.
Channel 4 and Sky are also thought to be interested in the programme, which dominated the list of most-watched shows in 2015.
A source told The Sun: “It’s no surprise all the broadcasters want a chance at landing Bake Off. It really would be a fantastic fit for Channel 4. But if you were Sky or ITV why wouldn’t you want the most-watched show on telly?”
Nadiya Hussain won Bake Off in 2015 (Matt Crossick/PA)
However, it’s thought that the Beeb will want to secure Bake Off, which pulls in millions of viewers.
Just last month its TV channels controller Charlotte Moore, who commissioned the series, told The Telegraph she was aware rivals might want Bake Off but that she believed its home was BBC One.
“I’m sure [other broadcasters] would love Bake Off, but it’s a big part of BBC One,” she said. “I don’t take anything for granted, but I think the programme-makers like to be on BBC One. It is everything that BBC One should be about.”
The BBC and ITV declined to comment.
