The Great British Bake Off: Love Productions block BBC plans for Comic Relief special

Love Productions will instead produce a charity edition of the baking competition after its move to Channel 4, in aid of Stand Up to Cancer

The Great British Bake Off's move from the BBC to Channel 4 has claimed another casualty.

The Mirror reports that Love Productions, who create the show, have blocked the BBC's plans for a Comic Relief special of the beloved TV competition, which would have reunited judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood for a final time to preside over 12 celebrity contestants for the charity event.

This would have followed two previous Comic Relief editions of Bake Off, seeing the likes of Joanna Lumley, Claudia Winkleman, Warwick Davis, Victoria Wood, Duncan Bannatyne, Zoella, and David Mitchell all attempting to avoid soggy bottoms in their baking enterprises.

A BBC spokesperson has stated, "We would have loved a Bake Off Comic Relief special, but Love Productions refused to make it. They have now moved to Channel 4 and are making a charity programme with them – with which we wish them well."

The company has revealed they are already making plans for a charity edition of the show when it changes networks, including its own celebrity line-up coming together in aid of Stand Up to Cancer. A spokesperson has stated, "Love Productions was always keen to make the Comic Relief Bake Off special. We had been trying to engage the BBC in negotiations for more than a year so we would have time to produce both series eight of Bake Off and the Comic Relief Bake Off, which should have filmed in September."

"By the time the BBC meaningfully engaged in those negotiations, it was already too late for Love to produce the series for Comic Relief Bake Off in time to air in Spring 2017. This was just one of the contributory factors behind the breakdown of negotiations with the BBC."

Comic Relief will, however, see the return of Mel and Sue as presenters for the network; the duo will front talent contest Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief, which will air in the run-up to Red Nose Day in March.

Furthermore, Bake Off will return to the BBC for one last time for a series of two Christmas specials, announced earlier this year; with BBC director of content Charlotte Moore saying of the plans, "Mary, Paul, Mel and Sue are the perfect recipe for the festive season."