Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will be back on the show tonight, judging the bakers, but why did Dame Mary Berry leave?
The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 tonight – with Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith back in the tent judging the bakers alongside hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.
It’s been eight years since the show moved over to BBC and beloved judge Dame Mary Berry stepped down – but why did she decide to quit? Well, it was announced in 2016 that the show would be moving over to Channel 4, after the show’s production company, Love Productions, sold the broadcasting rights.
It wasn’t just Berry who decided to stay with the BBC. Hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins also made the decision to stay – although Paul Hollywood, who starred alongside them at the time made the decision to move over to Channel 4.
READ MORE: Bake Off host Noel Fielding’s rare public appearances and health battles that led to TV axe
According to Mary, “I’m choosing to stay with the BBC because they have nurtured me and the show, which was a unique and brilliant format from day one,” she said in a statement.
What a privilege and honor it was to participate in seven years of magic inside a tent. I hope the audience understands my decision because I’m just sad for the audience, who might not be ready to change. I’m so grateful to Paul, Mel, and Sue for their joy and laughter.
Before she made the joke, “Farewell to soggy bottoms,” she said, “I wish the programme, crew, and future bakers every possible success and I’m so sad not to be a part of it”!
But does the star still watch the show? Well the answer is no, she previously told the Mirror.
Speaking about This Morning star Alison Hammond being announced as co-presenter in 2023, the 90-year-old said: “I hope she’s very good. They’ve had a good swap round since I left. But they’re all good, they bring a different way of life to Bake Off.”
However, Mary acknowledged that she wouldn’t be watching the show because she continued, “I don’t actually watch Bake Off; you can imagine that because we don’t watch much cooking on television.
12 new bakers will debut at 8 p.m., and Paul Hollywood anticipates handing out many handshakes.
The baking standard is still the same, but since series one, he said, has improved consistently.
The bakers in series one were of their time, but the baking has improved, not to say that. The difficulties are a little more challenging. However, they have all risen to the occasion and produced truly incredible things.
Source: Mirror
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