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Paul Hollywood with Mary Berry. PA Archive

Farewell To Soggy Bottoms: Mary Berry is refusing to follow the Bake-Off to Channel 4

Berry said she was staying with the BBC out of “loyalty”, but her fellow judge Paul Hollywood is following the dough to Channel 4.

MARY BERRY WILL leave award-winning BBC television show The Great British Bake Off when it moves to its new home Channel 4, she announced today.

Her fellow judge Paul Hollywood is to continue to work on the show, however, saying he “just couldn’t turn my back on all that”.

In a statement, Berry said she is staying with the BBC out of “loyalty”, to the corporation that had nurtured her and the popular baking reality show.

She added that she was “just sad for the audience who may not be ready for change”.

Last week, presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins announced they were leaving too, adding they were not “going with the dough”.

The BBC has said it offered Love Productions £15 million (€17.4 million) per year to keep the show on the State broadcaster, but the company said it would not accept offers below £25 million (€30 million).

Paul Hollywood has signed a three-year deal with Channel 4. Berry, Hollywood, Giedroyc and Perkins have appeared been the show’s mainstays since the first series was broadcast on BBC Two in 2010.

In a statement, series producers Love Productions said: “We respect Mary’s decision not to join the next chapter of the Bake Off story.

We are immensely grateful to her for all her work and for her recognition today that Love Productions had made a unique and brilliant format from day one with Bake Off.

“The whole family, crew and team that made Bake Off for the BBC, and who will now make it just as brilliantly for C4, will miss her.”

Soggy bottoms

Berry said it was a privilege and honour to be part of “seven years of a magic in a tent”.

“I wish the programme, crew and future bakers every possible success and I am so very sad not to be a part of it. Farewell to soggy bottoms.”

Read: The future of Irish TV? Home-grown versions of British reality shows

Read: ‘We’re not going with the dough’: Mel & Sue are parting company with Bake Off

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    Mute and the hit's just keep coming
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    Jun 18th 2024, 10:26 AM

    So sad i grew up with so many fond memories of the music he produced….it was played in every club in the city for a decade… thanks for the 90s ….RIP

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    Mute The Firestarter
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    Jun 18th 2024, 10:57 AM

    So sad, another one gone way too early thanks to this awful disease. RIP Paul, and thanks for the memories

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    Jun 18th 2024, 11:14 AM

    By all accounts he was a very decent guy all round. ‘Voices’ by Dario G is one of my ‘go to’ uplifting songs. Always come back to it. RIP

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    Mute Pat Maher
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    Jun 18th 2024, 2:48 PM

    Sad, far too young, an awful bloody disease. Leaves a wonderful legacy, but would be better if he was still here to create. RIP

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jun 18th 2024, 3:20 PM

    https://youtu.be/dLB56lFYlBI?si=UrWBZhDNQoUXOrKk They should belt this one out at the euros tonight

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    Jun 18th 2024, 6:03 PM

    Heard he was a Crewe Alexandra fan and chose his scene name after Dario Gradi. RIP. Sunchyme (cover of Life in a Northern Town) such a catchy tune.

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