THE BBC lost the battle to keep its flagship baking show but will it win the war?

Great British Bake Off presenters Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc last night confirmed they will stop hosting the show when it moves to Channel 4 next year.

Their decision to step down will be a blow to Channel 4, which has agreed a £25m-a-year deal to broadcast the ratings smash.

Perkins and Giedroyc’s on screen chemistry is considered a key part of Bake Off’s popularity. The pair, who have presented the programme since it first aired in 2010, are the first of the show’s stars to reveal their plans. Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, who are the experts on the show, are yet to confirm whether they will move channels.

If the post-Jeremy Clarkson version of Top Gear is anything to go by then certain shows only work with certain presenters. Channel 4 may having a winning format on its hands but without the right people they could have landed themselves an overpriced dud.

The BBC says it was not prepared to raise its offer of about £15m – double the current contract – in a bid to retain the much-loved programme. The move highlights the ongoing battle the BBC faces to compete with commercial broadcasters while its budget is put under strain.

As well as a disagreement over money, it is understood the producers were keen to move Bake Off to a place where it could expand the commercial side of the programme. As a publicly funded broadcaster, the BBC is limited in how commercial its programmes and presenters can be.

The loss of a flagship show represents a setback but the Corporation’s strength lies in its ability to deliver a wide range of programming and services, such as iPlayer.

Putting too many of its eggs in one basket was not a viable option.