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The BBC said it hopes the production company behind hit TV show the Great British Bakeoff will change its mind about leaving the corporation and keep the programme on BBC One.
The corporation lost the rights to the programme after negotiations to renew the contract dragged on for more than a year.
A last ditch meeting on Monday was not enough to save the partnership, with the production company, Love Productions, citing concerns over the corporation’s valuation of the show as well as the development of the brand.
However, the BBC has issued a statement saying it hopes the production company will “change their mind so that Bake Off can stay ad free on BBC One”.
A BBC spokesperson said: “Working with Love Productions, we have grown and nurtured the programme over seven series and created the huge hit it is today.
“We made a very strong offer to keep the show but we are a considerable distance apart on the money.
“The BBC's resources are not infinite. GBBO is a quintessentially BBC programme. We hope Love Productions change their mind so that Bake Off can stay ad free on BBC One.”
The baking show was the most-watched programme of 2015, with 15.1 million people watching Nadiya Hussain claim victory in the sixth series.
Love Productions said the BBC had upped its offer to them ahead of the meeting on Monday, but it was still rejected.
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They said the decision could not be reversed, the BBC reports.
Asked if the show may be coming to ITV, a spokesperson for the channel told the Independent: “We do not comment on speculation”.
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