The Great British Bake Off exit from BBC was ‘difficult’ but necessary to pay for other shows, says content director

Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry (Mark Bourdillon/BBC/PA)

LETTING The Great British Bake Off leave the BBC for Channel 4 was a “difficult moment” but had to be done to pay for other shows, the director of BBC content has said.

Charlotte Moore said she felt responsible for the way she spent licence fee payers’ money and said she “can’t put all my eggs in one basket”.

She said: “I wish them well. In the end we had to make very difficult decisions, I feel very responsible for licence fee payers’ money.

The new series of The Great British Bake Off will air on Channel 4 (Channel 4/PA)

“When I simply cannot pay any more for a show that will stop me doing all the other great things. I’m here to push the boundaries and if I feel I’m going to be stopped from doing that by putting all my eggs in one basket, in the end I’ve got to make those difficult decisions.”

Asked if she thought Love Productions, the company behind the show, was ungrateful to the BBC when it decided to move to Channel 4, Moore said: “We all know the decisions and why they made the decisions that they did and I wish them well, and it was a difficult moment, and I’ve got to get on with the job that is there – to push the boundaries and come up with the new, and that is what I think we have been doing.”

Questioned about accusations the BBC has since sought to “rip off” the Bake Off with its new slate of programmes, she said: “Wait until you see our new shows, there is a strong tradition of cooking shows on the BBC.”

The Great British Bake Off will start on Channel 4 on August 29.