Following the announcement that Mary Berry will not return to judge The Great British Bake Off (GBBO), as the TV show moves to Channel 4 for its next series, UK bookmakers have raced to open markets on who will replace the much-loved judge for GBBO 2017.
GBBO’s split from the BBC has been the talk of television, as last week lead presenters Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc decided not to join ‘Bake Off’ on Channel 4.
Yesterday Mary Berry confirmed that out of loyalty to the BBC, she would follow ‘Mel & Sue’ and not join the program on its new broadcaster.
UK bookmakers have moved fast in presenting odds on who will replace Mary Berry on Channel 4.
GBBO 2015 winner Nadiya Hussain is the early market leader at 9/2. Hussain who now fronts her own TV cooking show on BBC One ‘The Chronicles of Nadiya’, may prove a popular choice with GBBO enthusiasts.
However, GBBO producers may move for a more experienced TV personality to be a judge in what will likely be a Channel 4 headline show.
Hussain is followed by former BBC Saturday Kitchen host James Martin at 3/1. Martin is reported to have close ties with GBBO producers Love Productions, having been a judge on Junior Bake Off.
With Channel 4 paying a reported £25 million to acquire GBBO rights, the broadcaster may well choose a ‘stellar’ internationally recognised TV chef personality. Opening its market Paddy Power has placed Nigella Lawson at 6/1 to Judge GBBO.
Furthermore, the bookmaker has placed Channel 4 favourite Jamie Oliver at 16/1 odds, despite the chef telling UK media that he simply had no time for ‘Bake Off’.
Source: SBC News
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