The future of ‘The Great Pottery Throw Down’ looks to be in doubt, and it’s all because of The Great British Bake Off’s move to Channel 4.
The pottery competition, which concluded its second run on Thursday (23 March) has proved to be a surprise hit for the BBC, and was made by the same people behind ‘Bake Off’.
However, relations between Love Productions and the BBC are said to have soured since the production company sold the rights to air the next three series of ‘Bake Off’ to Channel 4 in a £75 million deal.
This has cast a shadow on future series of ‘Pottery Throw Down’, with the Radio Times reporting BBC bosses are “keen to make a clean break” from the ‘Great’ series of programming, which also includes ‘Bake Off: Creme De La Creme’ and ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’.
“Usually the production has some sense of whether there will be another run by the time of a series finale and we certainly have not had that yet,” a production source said.
A BBC spokesperson made an attempt to play down the reports, saying the Corporation is “looking forward to meeting the producers soon to discuss [The Great Pottery Throw Down]”:
“A decision will be made as part of our standard commissioning process,” they added.
‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ host Claudia Winkleman previously admitted she was unsure if her show would be recommissioned.
“I would love to see it back I just…don’t know. I can’t speak about it. Something bad will happen,” she told Radio Times.
Asked if it could move to another channel, she said : “I don’t know the answer to any of those questions. I am only employed because I am obedient. I will turn up, paint myself bright orange and read out loud. I don’t know.”
‘The Great British Bake Off’ aired on the BBC for seven series before Channel 4 bought the rights from under the corporation’s nose last September.
Last week, it was revealed Prue Leith will join Paul Hollywood as a judge with Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig hosting. The new trio replace Mary Berry, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, who all quit the show out of loyalty to the BBC last year.
