With 87 days’ worth of cookery shows airing during the past year on UK terrestrial television – made up of 410 unique titles – the RTS event “Why we love… food” was appositely named.
Revealing the facts to an audience hungry for knowledge about the genre, Pritesh Mody, founder of artisan food producer World of Zing, chaired the late-May event on the day it emerged that Jamie Oliver’s UK restaurant chain had gone into administration.
Speaking at RTS event Why We Love…Food Channel 4 head of features and formats Sarah Lazenby said she had a meeting on Tuesday about the children’s version of the hit series, Great British Bake Off, which has followed its parent to the commercial broadcaster.
When asked how Channel 4 would make Junior Bake Off its own, Lazenby said “We’re really excited that’s coming to us. Obviously we’re not a children’s broadcaster…16-34 year olds is our target but…there’s a format that’s there but there’s also a Channel 4 tone.”
The much-loved period drama Call the Midwife is back for another well-stuffed Christmas special.
Writer Heidi Thomas provides Christmas cheer, as the sisters at Nonnatus House look after four orphans and a new born baby, and are treated to a baby ballet show.
William Ivory’s biographical drama charts the winning careers of young and gifted ice skaters (and future Dancing on Ice judges) Jayne Torvill (Poppy Lee Friar) and Christopher Dean (Will Tudor).
Watch what happened at our latest event, where TV bosses discussed whether bringing back old TV formats shows that we're running out of ideas, or if some shows are just worth giving a make over for new audiences.
Journalist Caroline Frost was joined by a panel of TV experts to discuss just that.
Joining Caroline on the panel were:
Sean Doyle, Channel 5, Commissioning Editor, Blind Date
Camilla Lewis, CEO, Curve Media
Richard McKerrow, Love Productions, Executive Producer, The Great British Bake Off
Ella Umansky, Head of Format Support, ITV Studios
The advert shows a range of singing baked goods coming together in a dazzling display of cakes, breads and tarts.
Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding will present the new series, alongside judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
The eighth series of the cookery show will appear on Channel 4, after Love Productions signed a deal with the broadcaster last year.
James Purnell: ‘From a PSB perspective, we now see a real chasm between the way we are going to be regulated.
‘The Charter agreement is a set of incredibly detailed guidance to Ofcom – children’s programmes, history, religion, current affairs, 100-plus quotas.
‘We wouldn’t wish that on Channel 4, but, looking at what has happened with Bake Off, there is a huge difference between the way we are regulated, and… now there is a question about whether that is right.
‘Channel 4’s lighter touch should be looked at.’
“Since winning The Great British Bake Off I’ve been lucky to have had some amazing opportunities with the BBC," reads the statement, issued by the broadcaster on Hussain's behalf. "I believe that making it my home gives me the scope to work across such a unique range of diverse and interesting projects."
Rutherford has just returned from the Rio Olympics where he won a bronze medal in the long jump final. He announced his taking part in the celebrity dance contest on BBC's The One Show alongside actors Lesley Joseph and Tameka Empson.
Joseph is most remembered for her role in the 1990's hit sitcom Birds of a Feather, where she played promiscuous neighbour Dorien, while Empson rose to prominence in her hidden camera comedy 3 Non-Blondes in 2003. She currently stars on EastEnders as the bubbly but vicious Kim Fox.
RTS award-winning Four Rooms is back with a new host, Sarah Beeny. A cross between Antiques Roadshow and Dragons' Den, the programme sees members of the public try and sell their prized items to stone-faced dealers for a good price.
