BBC commissioner Jo Street has admitted losing the Great British Bake Off has saddened her greatly.
News broke yesterday that the popular baking show was moving to Channel 4 from the BBC, after the station had a disagreement with the show’s production company over money.
The BBC indicated that financial demands made by Love Productions made the programme “unaffordable”.
Now, BBC editing commissioner Jo Street has revealed how the station really feel, admitting that it was a situation of “you’re damned if you do, and you’re damned if you don’t”.
Disheartening: The BBC are sad to see GBBO go | BBC
Speaking about the situation at MediaCon, taking place in Dublin’s City Hall, Jo said she would defy anyone that suggested the programme wasn’t a BBC show – despite changing channels.
“It saddens me greatly, you know, and I’m speaking personally obviously, I think it’s really sad. It was nurtured, it was grown on BBC2, it migrated to One. It’s a BBC show. In my heart, I’d defy anyone to say that its not a BBC show,” she said.
When asked if the show would fail now that it’s moved to Channel 4, Jo remained tight-lipped – but said that she’s sad for BBC audiences.
“Nobody knew that all of that stuff was just going to come together and be brilliant, and it did, and its now slowly being dismantled – and its going to have a commercial break and it’s going to have a different editorial vision.
“It just saddens me greatly for the BBC audience obviously. And I think it’s disheartening for broadcasters as well, the public service ones,” she added.
