GBBO In The Media

[Cyranetta]

Ready, Set, Flake: Is 'Bake-Off' about to Crumble?

[dubbel zout]

It's interesting and depressing that the government is citing losing GBBO (among other major programs) to higher bidders as the reason to cut more funding from the BBC, when it's the lack of funding that's causing the Beeb to lose the programs in the first place.

[Athena]

3 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

It's interesting and depressing that the government is citing losing GBBO (among other major programs) to higher bidders as the reason to cut more funding from the BBC, when it's the lack of funding that's causing the Beeb to lose the programs in the first place.

It's a vicious cycle. An issue that has come up frequently is that the BBC no longer makes most of its entertainment programmes and has to buy from studios like Love Productions. Even their Masterchef is 50% owned by the Murdoch group. The BBC have had a lot of issues in recent years because of funding and perhaps bad management (which may be related to the funding cuts). It has a very restrictive commercial policy for its personalities; it's why Jamie Oliver and Michel Roux Jr had to leave. This restricts how celebs and production companies like Love can grow and develop. It can be very limiting if you want to expand your shows.

On the other side of things, I do believe that the BBC treated GBBO very well. It really helped push the small show into a great timeslot and probably helped the production company expand. Lots of celebrities have good long term relationships with the BBC; if you follow their commercial policies, they seem laid back about other aspects (unless you are Jeremy Clarkson, that's another story). Sue and Mel have had shows on Channel 4 and ITV, but they know switching networks leads to growing pains. Who knows what Love Productions has been like in recent years; they were a small company and the GBBO brand has made them huge and profitable. They get a cut from all the global shows and through the books and merchandising that has come from the show. Maybe Sue and Mel were done with the business especially now it's all about the money and if we believe the contestants, the show is more than that for them. 

[dubbel zout]

It's definitely a vicious cycle. I'm not British, so I don't follow things super closely, but it seems to me that the government has to decide what it wants the BBC to be: a PBS-style broadcaster that sometimes coproduces shows and/or buys from outside companies, and is a nonprofit; an AMC/FX/Sundance–style network that produces its own shows but doesn't expect blockbuster ratings; or a broadcaster than genuinely wants to compete with the commercial networks. And then fund the thing accordingly, or at least not undercut what it's trying to achieve.

I use all of these examples in very broad terms, of course.

Edited September 14, 2016 by dubbel zout
Prepositions are important.

[tenativelyyours]

The only way they could keep this from being an entire dog's breakfast, is if Love Productions somehow were able to hire Nadiya and Tamal as hosts.   And that ain't happening.  One of the things that occurred to me amidst all the replacement chatter is that most of the younger set, still a few older than I am but 'my generation', I have had an immediate and solid 'no' to in response and I couldn't figure that out until I realized that my generation of possible tv presenters as a whole don't embody wit with warmth most of the time for me it seems.   Even as caustic as Jo Brand can be, I still find her overall a bit warmer.  And I think that is generational no matter how over generalized that may sound.  Not that my generation as a whole aren't warm but that the public persona of people who would be up for the job tend to be a little sharper and more self-involved.  Millennial presenters and comics would definitely need some work to get the tone right for the tent.  The ability joke, gently jab; to stave off tears and dry them with the right balance of wryness and tenderness is just not something you can call an agent for to fill a role.   Let alone, in my opinion, find in any of the known 'celebrities'  mentioned on various social platforms.  I think Raylan could only be the second worst if Jeremy Clarkson mentioned (sorry Athena, you mentioned that hairy sagging tit first!).

 

I'm a bit confused about the airing of the next 'season' of the series.  There are some conflicting mentions in the press so far but more seem to take the year by law after leaving the BBC from starting at the end of the filming of this season.  Which would mean they would film and start roughly the end of October 2017 correct?  Is that possible schedule wise to how television seasons run over there?  Here in the US there would be no problem since networks cancel shows at the drop of a hat and a ratings winner can start as late in the season as it wants if it has to, as in such a case as this.   Gogglebox I know starts later in the fall.  Not sure what else does since most of my watching of British tv is done in binge or discovering after it has gained its momentum and so I don't really pay attention to when it started so much as simply trying to catch up and not be spoiled when everyone else is talking about (especially you Humphrey and Arbela, you spoilering assholes!)

Now that I've swallowed this bitter news, my interest shifts to what the BBC is going to replace this with.  They have had some time I suspect between the realization they know it was going and the public's knowledge of the move.  Their money mentions in the latest releases do not bode well.  GBBO was magic in a jar and to try to replicate it in any way that the legalities allow while going back to a smaller budget seems almost insane. 

[Occasional Hope]

There aren't really formal seasons in quite the same way as the US.  There's often a launch of new shows at the beginning of September, and in January, but because series are generally shorter, and of varying lengths, new things launch all the time.

[Athena]

The show films April-June so if it started a year after last season, then the show would not be able to start filming until summer 2017.

Re: Clarkson. I only mentioned him as a case of someone who caused BBC a lot of strife when most personalities have had good dealings with the BBC. Most of the other chefs leave because they want more commercial partnerships. Clarkson was never going to be a contender for hosting this show.

Googlebox is C4's highest rated show, but it only gets like 5 million viewers. This is why C4 or ITV was desperate for GBBO which averages closer to 10 million per ep now. C4 will make their money back even if the show gets half.

The other reason GBBO is highly prized is that half of the people who watch the show are in the under 35 age demographic. No other show in UK TV has a 1:1 ratio of the younger, millenials demo with those in the older. Other shows will have one or the other dominating, but this one has both in large numbers.

[RealityCheck]

7 hours ago, Writing Wrongs said:

Have any of the other Baking shows started yet: Australia or Ireland?

The Great Irish Bake Off has been cancelled.  I posted the article in the GIBO forum.

[Kromm]

1 hour ago, Athena said:

The show films April-June so if it started a year after last season, then the show would not be able to start filming until summer 2017.

I think the barrier would be on airing it before a year is up, not filming it.

[SirOsisOfLiver]

With all the talk about bad blood between BBC and Love Productions, it makes one wonder what happens with a show like Great British Sewing Bee when it comes time for renewal.

[tenativelyyours]

2 hours ago, Athena said:

The show films April-June so if it started a year after last season, then the show would not be able to start filming until summer 2017.

Re: Clarkson. I only mentioned him as a case of someone who caused BBC a lot of strife when most personalities have had good dealings with the BBC. Most of the other chefs leave because they want more commercial partnerships. Clarkson was never going to be a contender for hosting this show.

Googlebox is C4's highest rated show, but it only gets like 5 million viewers. This is why C4 or ITV was desperate for GBBO which averages closer to 10 million per ep now. C4 will make their money back even if the show gets half.

The other reason GBBO is highly prized is that half of the people who watch the show are in the under 35 age demographic. No other show in UK TV has a 1:1 ratio of the younger, millenials demo with those in the older. Other shows will have one or the other dominating, but this one has both in large numbers.

Okay, thanks.  I was confused because the one mention in the Telegraph has a quote that was oddly abbreviated in their notice app when the refusal by Mel and Sue broke that made it seem like the year off rule went into use from the last original airing (a couple of weeks from now) and then the same story had it from the last original filming (which they made sound like it was the same thing as 'airing') and that made it a bit muddled and contradictory to me.

I have yet to see anything about an Extra Slice in all this except its ratings and how it has built on the popularity.  But no mention if it goes to C4 as well or if it is simply left out to dry.  To be honest until now I have been in denial and just noticing it is in the news more than actually reading what is going on.  Sort of an ostrich approach to pending doom.  

[pamplemousse]

I probably won't watch after it goes to Channel 4. I don't really have a problem with Channel 4 and it's not even the departure of Sue & Mel that bothers me the most, it's that the gentle, tasteful, respectable show I really enjoy has become sullied with Love Productions' greed and tackiness and disrespect for the audience that made the show so successful. BBC offered them double the money, Love Productions wanted quadruple, screw the viewers as long as the upper management at Love (joke of a name for such a tasteless, money-grubbing operation) get to line their pockets. Sad to see Sue & Mel go, but it's a principle issue with me and the show I respected has been tarnished. I wouldn't be surprised if it started resembling all the trash reality cooking shows on American tv. I'll finish out this season while it's still on the BBC and then I'm done. 

[biakbiak]

On 9/13/2016 at 10:39 AM, Kromm said:

 

I expect to hear some big name British stand-up (probably one instead of a duo) eventually announced as the replacement. Someone at the level of Jimmy Carr. Who actually already works for Channel 4. But he's got a million jobs already, so that might keep them from using him. 

Chris Evans is available!

[tvchick]

Richard Burr wrote an article for the WaPo on the changes:

Richard's views

[cardigirl]

http://www.eater.com/2016/9/16/12935000/mel-sue-leaving-great-british-bake-off

I love them even more.  So sad the show is changing.  :( 

[GaT]

6 hours ago, tvchick said:

Richard Burr wrote an article for the WaPo on the changes:

Richard's views

From the article: "the country stops for a collective cup of tea and a warm televisual hug in the form of this lovely show." this is the best description of the show I've seen. It even feels that way in the US.

1 hour ago, cardigirl said:

http://www.eater.com/2016/9/16/12935000/mel-sue-leaving-great-british-bake-off

I love them even more.  So sad the show is changing.  :( 

And from this article: "For American viewers, many of whom consume Bake Off on a multi-year delay under the name The Great British Baking Show, the nuances of the move to Channel 4 were largely lost. (Think of it as sort of the opposite of when Project Runway moved to Lifetime: Channel 4 has a younger audience and offered the production company more money, but the likely format changes could have potentially the same chilling effect on viewership."

As a Project Runway viewer this makes me sad. The changes when the show went from Bravo to Lifetime were not good. When it was on Bravo, it was a competition for fashion designers, Lifetime turned it into a gimmicky, drama laden, reality show. This really doesn't bode well for GBBO.

[beata]

This is an article about the international versions of GBBO

http://metro.co.uk/2016/09/14/if-you-dont-fancy-bake-off-on-channel-4-here-are-11-global-versions-of-the-show-you-can-watch-instead-6127353/#ixzz4KkA3EwPw

[tenativelyyours]

On 9/16/2016 at 3:23 PM, GaT said:

From the article: "the country stops for a collective cup of tea and a warm televisual hug in the form of this lovely show." this is the best description of the show I've seen. It even feels that way in the US.

And from this article: "For American viewers, many of whom consume Bake Off on a multi-year delay under the name The Great British Baking Show, the nuances of the move to Channel 4 were largely lost. (Think of it as sort of the opposite of when Project Runway moved to Lifetime: Channel 4 has a younger audience and offered the production company more money, but the likely format changes could have potentially the same chilling effect on viewership."

As a Project Runway viewer this makes me sad. The changes when the show went from Bravo to Lifetime were not good. When it was on Bravo, it was a competition for fashion designers, Lifetime turned it into a gimmicky, drama laden, reality show. This really doesn't bode well for GBBO.

 

The article seems odd.  First, it seems to me that the move is not the opposite of the PR move at all.  Since it was based on money as well.  And moving from BRAVO to Lifetime is not a move up in quality at least at the time it happened.   Real Housewives shows were much less ubiquitous on BRAVO and Lifetime was looking to expand into reality and already had a view as to where that would go since after premiering the show, it followed the next year with 'Dance Moms' and had brought in Murray from the turned-into-a-trainwreck 'Real World'  shows.  The move was definitely seen as going down in channels not up.  It was seen as moving to a crasser field.

Second it talks in the past tense in regards to nuances.  I'm not sure how they could be lost on the US audience since no one, not even the British audience, has seen a single result as to how the move has affected the show other than Mel and Sue leaving.  And that is hardly a "nuance" and it has hardly been missed by anyone I know who watches the show here in the US.  Yes, most in the US aren't quite sure about the minutia of the legalities of such a move, but it has not been missed that the move is causing changes.  But it seems such odd wording to talk about something in the past that has not had a chance to actually be experienced.  Those so-called nuances will likely be noticed when the US audience finds the show shorter on PBS due to commercial breaks, it will notice product placement.  It will notice perhaps the celebrity guest judges (I hope that rumor is flat out wrong as the way they will go if Paul and/or Mary don't sign up).

But the ramifications of the move are being noticed rather keenly from what I have seen.  It might not be the blaring headlines everywhere but you know, elections and violence here so forgive us for not being all nuance-y on it.

[ceebee]

Mary Berry has confirmed she will not be moving with the show to Channel 4 out of loyalty to the BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37437907?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_breaking&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=news_central

Edited September 22, 2016 by ceebee

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was just coming to post the same news. In related news, apparently Paul had a meeting at channel 4 earlier this week so he seems to be open to staying with the show.

[Qoass]

I admit he's not my favorite person anyway, but to me that just screams "opportunist".  

[Athena]

Paul Hollywood is going to Channel 4. He's signed a three year deal with them. The above BBC article has been updated to reflect this.

This is mostly what I thought would happen. Opportunist or not, this is Paul's main television gig and it's what made him famous. While he was in a couple of shows as a guest, he never had his own shows until GBBO. It's his meal ticket. Mel, Sue, and Mary were famous before GBBO and all had established relationships with the BBC. Mary's been with the BBC since the 1970s and she's more than deserves her retirement at 81.

[halopub]

In a Guardian article about Mary's departure, a source talks about how Love Productions and Channel 4 are going to publicly pressure the BBC to dismiss the usual 12 month noncompete.

[bad things are bad]

Wow. Totally surprised at Ruby's tweets about Paul. Not the content, but that she said stuff out loud, as it were. 

If C4 thinks Paul is the main person on that show, I think they've misinterpreted something. To me Mary is far more central

[Athena]

1 minute ago, bad things are bad said:

If C4 thinks Paul is the main person on that show, I think they've misinterpreted something. To me Mary is far more central

They can't exactly say that out loud since they probably had a feeling Mary would not come over after Mel & Sue left. Better to try and get one than none at all. The show has lost it's heart and soul with Mary, Sue, and Mel gone. I don't mind Paul, but he can't save the show for me. I'm afraid GBBO is probably not going to be Must See tv for me anymore. We'll see how it goes.

[cardigirl]

I see the news has been announced. WAAAAAAAH!!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/23/arts/television/great-british-bake-off-mary-berry.html?_r=0

[Mabinogia]

As Paul was the least familial, warm and fuzzy person on the show, it's pretty safe to say that GBBO/GBBS as we know it is over. So sad, but I do hope we get the remaining seasons here in the US.

[cardigirl]

1 hour ago, bad things are bad said:

Wow. Totally surprised at Ruby's tweets about Paul. Not the content, but that she said stuff out loud, as it were. 

If C4 thinks Paul is the main person on that show, I think they've misinterpreted something. To me Mary is far more central

Link please?  Thanks!

[GaT]

So the show is dead now.

1 minute ago, Mabinogia said:

As Paul was the least familial, warm and fuzzy person on the show, it's pretty safe to say that GBBO/GBBS as we know it is over. So sad, but I do hope we get the remaining seasons here in the US.

Exactly. It's going to be people sobbing over their dead grandmother's recipe & "doing it for their mum/aunt/teacher" or whoever they can think up for a sob story.

4 hours ago, halopub said:

In a Guardian article about Mary's departure, a source talks about how Love Productions and Channel 4 are going to publicly pressure the BBC to dismiss the usual 12 month noncompete.

Well, I hope they don't. Love Productions deserves as much crap a they get.

[Athena]

35 minutes ago, cardigirl said:

Link please?  Thanks!

It's in the Guardian article @halopub linked previously. Ruby writes for The Guardian as well.

This is the exerpt about Love Productions and Channel 4 trying to persuaded the BBC to forgo the clause:

Quote

The publicly owned commercially funded Channel 4 has said that its first Bake Off will be a celebrity version in 2017 in aid of Stand Up for Cancer. It is expected to try to get the BBC to agree to loosen the so-called “holdback” clause in which rival broadcasters cannot broadcast the new version of the show within 12 months.

One source close to Love Productions said: “Should a publicly funded broadcaster really be keeping a much-loved programme off air?”

The BBC is set to broadcast two Christmas Bake Off specials this year and would not comment on further negotiations over timing.

[GaT]

One source close to Love Productions said: “Should a publicly funded broadcaster really be keeping a much-loved programme off air?”

Wow, Love Productions is really digging a hole for themselves. This company reminds me of Summit Entertainment, a tiny little movie company that nobody had ever heard of until one day they got lucky & got the movie rights to a little book called Twilight. They blew up big time from that series & kept overreaching with trilogies (which they kept making 4 movies from) until they got hold of the Divergent trilogy. That was such a complete failure at the box office that the final (4th) movie in the series is going to be a made for TV movie. GBBO made Love Productions big, & now they think they're all that, but their money grab blew up big time & now they're trying to blame the BBC for their stupidity.

[shandy]

No surprise that Hollywood took the money, but then again the  man has been bankrupt. I can't understand why he is being attacked. Love Productions owned the format and sold it - any cooking show that the fantastic four got together on would need to be so different to avoid a lawsuit that the premise of a rebel bake off would have been ridiculous. 

As Athena says, GBBO has been his golden ticket. No more loading a bread truck at 4 in the morning, no more fleeing his debts on a mediterranean island.  He gets the money whether it's a success or not. The Beeb will happily let Mary do any little cooking show she wants - even her repeats pull in the audience. Mel and Sue are fixtures across the BBC, as any radio four lovers will know. Hollywood only has the bake off, his American adventure was a personal and professional disaster, his show on Bread was critically well received but got low ratings and no season 2 ( Mary has had 2 solo shows in the same period)  and the wife who forgave his latina affair is now forging her own career.

[cardigirl]

1 hour ago, Athena said:

It's in the Guardian article @halopub linked previously. Ruby writes for The Guardian as well.

This is the exerpt about Love Productions and Channel 4 trying to persuaded the BBC to forgo the clause:

Thanks Athena! 

[Trini]

Curses, breadxit!!

-----

Does anyone know what this means for PBS?

[deepfriedcake]

"Peacocking manchild" is going to be my favorite phrase for quite a well, I suspect.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I kind of love that Ruby has no fucks to give. The tweets in question:

Quote

ahhhhhh a peacocking manchild lingering wherever the money is, i am shocked

this, from a man who turned up to work revving a rental lamborghini. or was it a ferrari. i don't remember, the air was thick w testosterone

call me ishmael. my child, it was a dark time: shirts tucked into bootcut jeans and the season's first dusting of spray tan on the ground...

we locked in battle with a mythic beast, both bright white and mahogany, man and baby, ego and terrible, terrible fragility all at once.

https://mobile.twitter.com/rubytandoh/status/778949496772390913

https://mobile.twitter.com/rubytandoh/status/778951012451229696

https://mobile.twitter.com/rubytandoh/status/778951805430620160

https://mobile.twitter.com/rubytandoh/status/778952054651883520

[BW Manilowe]

The Hollywood Reporter says that BBC & Mary Berry are apparently planning to do a rival show--either baking or cooking--to GBBO.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bbc-great-british-bake-rival-932066?utm_source=twitter

[Mabinogia]

2 hours ago, BW Manilowe said:

The Hollywood Reporter says that BBC & Mary Berry are apparently planning to do a rival show--either baking or cooking--to GBBO.

Well, I know which one I'd rather watch. My love for Mary Berry knows know bounds.

[mlp]

Quote

The Hollywood Reporter says that BBC & Mary Berry are apparently planning to do a rival show--either baking or cooking--to GBBO.

That's a light at the end of the tunnel.  If and when it happens, I fervently hope some American network is smart enough to pick it up and broadcast it in real time as opposed to a year later.

[Kromm]

On 9/23/2016 at 2:08 PM, mlp said:

That's a light at the end of the tunnel.  If and when it happens, I fervently hope some American network is smart enough to pick it up and broadcast it in real time as opposed to a year later.

BBC has rules where they can't air too much American made content, but what they should do is have the new show co-funded/produced. That defers half of the costs that caused them to lose GBBO in the first place, and builds in another profit center right off the bat (and isn't bound by those same limits, I think).

The big issues really come with producing both 60 and 45-ish minute cuts of the same show.  But they'd get right around that if their partner was a premium cable outlet in the US (unlikely for a reality show, admittedly, but not impossible). 

Because it will basically BE GBBO under another name, you specifically DON'T have to Americanize anything.  So good news all around!

[Irlandesa]

On 9/23/2016 at 6:46 AM, BW Manilowe said:

The Hollywood Reporter says that BBC & Mary Berry are apparently planning to do a rival show--either baking or cooking--to GBBO.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bbc-great-british-bake-rival-932066?utm_source=twitter

Ha.  If it's hosted by Mel and Sue, I will just die of happiness.

2 hours ago, Kromm said:

BBC has rules where they can't air too much American made content, but what they should do is have the new show co-funded/produced. That defers half of the costs that caused them to lose GBBO in the first place, and builds in another profit center right off the bat (and isn't bound by those same limits, I think).

The big issues really come with producing both 60 and 45-ish minute cuts of the same show.  But they'd get right around that if their partner was a premium cable outlet in the US (unlikely for a reality show, admittedly, but not impossible). 

Because it will basically BE GBBO under another name, you specifically DON'T have to Americanize anything.  So good news all around!

I know PBS is seen as just importing things but they actually do produce as well.  In fact, PBS and the BBC have already have had deals in place to do co-productions.  So they'd be a likely partner.  I don't know if a reality show in another country would fit their mission, though.  I don't think PBS has the same rules the BBC do, thankfully.

[trow125]

YES! Great news!! Love the illustration, too.

Mary Berry's BBC Show Could Launch Before Channel 4's Bake Off Debut

It would be interesting to know exactly what aspects of the format Love Productions has the rights to, but since there are plenty of cooking competition shows on the air (and have been long before Bake Off), I'm guessing that they won't have a problem figuring out a way to do a new series.

[Mabinogia]

I don't care which one comes first, I don't care what the format is, I am all in for Mary Mel and Sue's new show. It wasn't the name or the format of GBBO that I fell in love with, it was the atmosphere which seems to have been heavily influenced by Mel and Sue (and to be honest, the accents, I love all the very lovely accents). And the adorable Mary Berry.

I never disliked Paul but he was the least irreplaceable member of the quartet for me. And I'm ecstatic that all three ladies are sticking together. Yay

[dubbel zout]

39 minutes ago, Mabinogia said:

I never disliked Paul but he was the least irreplaceable member of the quartet for me. And I'm ecstatic that all three ladies are sticking together.

This is pretty much me. I didn't much like Paul dragging out his praise ("Oh, Nadia...[long pause] It's fantastic") mostly because I thought that was dumb and unnecessary. But he never seemed mean about it, and he was always quick to admit when something worked that he didn't think would. His technical judgments, though, didn't seem all that unique. Something wasn't baked long enough/didn't have enough flour/had too much sugar/etc. were all things that I'd think any decent professional baker could detect.

[GaT]

6 hours ago, trow125 said:

YES! Great news!! Love the illustration, too.

Mary Berry's BBC Show Could Launch Before Channel 4's Bake Off Debut

It would be interesting to know exactly what aspects of the format Love Productions has the rights to, but since there are plenty of cooking competition shows on the air (and have been long before Bake Off), I'm guessing that they won't have a problem figuring out a way to do a new series.

I'm so glad all three of them are doing the show. That will really help keep the feel of GBBO. 

[Rinaldo]

I didn't see that all three are definitely doing it; did I miss something? What I saw said that it was possible, and viewers were hoping it could be.

[Irlandesa]

Yeah, there's just this article:

http://www.foodandwine.com/news/great-british-bake-hosts-mary-berry-mel-and-sue-get-their-own-baking-show

Which isn't definitive.  When I made that joke above, I didn't even realize it was a possibility.

[halopub]

The Guardian reported that Nadiya has signed a multi-project deal with the BBC.

• BBC News
• Nadiya's statement

Channel 4 says that they have not begun approaching potential GBBO hosts.

[halopub]

Channel 4 to start sponsorship bids at £8m for Great British Bake Off

[Occasional Hope]

5 hours ago, halopub said:

Channel 4 to start sponsorship bids at £8m for Great British Bake Off

So they plan of getting sponsorship £££ before finalising hosts and judges?  Says a lot about priorities, doesn't it?