Mary Berry might still be mulling over her options following the news that ‘The Great British Bake Off’ is set to move to Channel 4, but the BBC are reportedly doing everything they can to keep her at the channel.
‘Bake Off’ presenters Mel and Sue have already announced they won’t be hosting the show in its new home, but there’s still no word on whether Mary and her fellow judge Paul Hollywood will be doing the same.
But Beeb bosses are said to be “bending over backwards” to convince the 81-year-old star to stay with a host of tempting offers on the table.
A source told The Mirror: “The BBC see Mary as being their premiere TV chef.
With an announcement imminent, TV insiders believe Mary will stay at the BBC.
Meanwhile, Channel 4 bosses are said to be furious after Mel and Sue issued a carefully worded (and puntastic) statement revealing they wouldn’t be defecting to Channel 4 when the show moves.
An insider said: “The top bosses are incandescent with rage after Mel and Sue quit.
“Even though they weren’t contractually obliged to stay with the production, they were assured the show would retain its stars.”
Mary and Paul have previously stated that they’d want the show to stay at the Beeb and reportedly refused to move to ITV during the negotiations.
Although Mary has remained tight-lipped on her ‘Bake Off’ future, her husband Paul Hunnings has hinted that she won’t be keen on moving to Channel 4.
He told the Daily Mail: “She’s very happy with the BBC, put it that way.”
He added that she wasn’t “signing anything” with Channel 4 and what her ‘Bake Off’ colleagues chose to do “would be a factor” in her final decision.
In an interview earlier this year, Paul Hollywood also stated he would want to stay at the BBC.
“It’s not up to us, it’s up to the production company, but as far as Mary, Mel, Sue and myself are concerned we want to stay on the BBC,” he said.