Channel 4 has confirmed that The Great British Bake Off will stay on the channel after ITV agreed to sell its media and entertainment division to Sky for up to £1.6 billion. The deal, announced on Monday (July 6), includes ITV's terrestrial channels and streaming platform ITVX, but excludes its production arm ITV Studios.
Channel 4 Statement on Bake Off Deal
Following speculation that the show might move to ITV—since ITV would acquire Sky's Love Productions, the company behind Bake Off—Channel 4 issued a statement clarifying that its existing contract remains unchanged. A spokesperson for Channel 4 and Love Productions told The Telegraph: "Channel 4's GBBO deal is with Love and as such is unaffected by the Sky ITV deal." The statement added: "The show's existing multi-year agreement with Love remains in place meaning Bake Off fans will be able to continue to enjoy the show on Channel 4 as usual."
Details of the ITV-Sky Transaction
The £1.6 billion deal covers ITV's television channels and ITVX, but not ITV Studios, which produces shows like I'm A Celebrity and Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. ITV Studios will become a "pure-play global content business" with shares traded on the London Stock Exchange, alongside a long-term content supply agreement with the merged Sky and ITV, covering popular programmes such as Love Island, Coronation Street, and Emmerdale.
Impact on Broadcasting Landscape
Sky, owned by American media giant Comcast—which is planning to split into two entities—will see its European operations become part of NBCUniversal. Dana Strong, Sky's group chief executive, said: "Bringing Sky and ITV Media and Entertainment together combines the very best of free-to-air television, pay TV and streaming, ensuring viewers across the UK continue to enjoy outstanding British programming in a rapidly changing world." Andrew Cosslett, ITV's chairman, stated that "at a time of rapid change in the industry, it is right that we now secure ITV's crucial role as a public service broadcaster" and that the combined business will "create a UK champion with the scale and resources to better compete with global streaming platforms."
The Great British Bake Off continues to be available to stream on Channel4.com.
