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Great British Bake Off Could Move Channels Again Following Major TV Merger
ITV Studios is set to gain Love Productions in the merger, raising doubts over Channel 4’s hold on its most-watched show.
On Monday, July 6, ITV agreed to sell its media and entertainment arm to London-based Sky for up to £1.6 billion, combining the businesses to compete against global streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon.
Sky, owned by US media giant Comcast, seeks to preserve ITV's public service broadcaster role amid rapid industry change. Sky chief executive Dana Strong called the deal a "defining moment for British media."
Rumors suggest The Great British Bake Off could move from Channel 4 to ITV because ITV Studios will receive Love Productions, the show's creator, under the merger. Industry sources called such a move a "tremendous coup" for ITV.
Channel 4 and Love Productions jointly clarified their agreement remains unchanged by the Sky-ITV merger. The 17th series will air on Channel 4 later this year, though the show's long-term future beyond that remains uncertain.
Under a long-term agreement, ITV Studios will operate as a "pure-play global content business" supplying the combined group. Sky committed to spending at least £2.1 billion on ITV Studios content between 2028 and 2032.