Germany makes it a Bakers Dozen

Published: 7 October 2013

Click to tweet: BBC Worldwide announces #GreatBakeOff format sale to #Germany #MIPCOM2013 http://bbc.in/19e6iTn via @BBCWpress

Famous for hearty apple cakes, luxurious Black Forest Gateaux and wholesome rye bread, Germany has become the latest country to sign up for a local version of The Great Bake Off. The deal between ProSiebenSat.1 and BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, completes a baker’s dozen of format sales around the world.

BBC Worldwide has now licensed the Love Productions format to 13 countries including France (M6), Australia (Nine Network), Italy (Discovery), Poland (TLC), Belgium (VTM), Ireland (TV3), Denmark (DR), Norway (TV3), Sweden (TV7/Sjuan), The Netherlands (MAX), Finland (MTV3), Ukraine (1+1) and now also Germany (ProSiebenSat.1).

Love Productions has also licensed the format to CBS in the US with Paul Hollywood on the judging panel, resulting in 14 international commissions of the BBC Two hit show worldwide.

Isabelle Helle, Director of German Speaking Europe, BBC Worldwide, added: “The local adaptation of The Great Bake Off via Tower Productions further highlights the universal appeal of the format and reaffirms its global popularity. A proven hit in many territories already, The Great Bake Off is sure to resonate also with the German audience and inspire many viewers nationwide.

The German series Das große Backen has been shot in September in the park of an imposing moated castle near Dusseldorf, Schloss Dyck, one of the most important cultural sites in the Lower Rhine with a nearly 1000-year-old history. The show will see 10 amateur bakers compete across four 90-minute episodes to be named Germany’s best home baker and is being produced by Tower Productions, the joint venture between BBC Worldwide and ALL3Media Germany. The series will be broadcast on the flagship channel of the ProSieben family, SAT.1, later this year.

Nicolas Paalzow, Managing Director SAT.1, commented: “Baking has a lot of fans in Germany. As the nation with the most types of bread and cake, Germany is a perfect market for The Great Bake Off, which is a hit in so many countries already. With skilled and funny candidates, a jury that includes the best pastry chefs of the country, challenging tasks and recipes you can bake at home, The Great Bake Off is a programme that goes beyond mere entertainment and which SAT.1 is looking forward to premiering.”

The Great Bake Off format has already been delivering considerable ratings in Europe with Sweden, Norway, France, Poland and Denmark all about to launch a second series. Series one of Hela Sverige bakar (All Sweden bakes) broke the broadcaster’s ratings record; it was the highest rating show on the channel ever and quadrupled the channel’s prime time average share. In Norway, Hele Norge baker (All Norway Bakes) was the channel’s highest-rated programme since 2012. Meanwhile, in Poland and France, Polski Turniej Wypieków (The Great Polish Bake Off) and Le Meilleur Patissier (The Best Baker) were also both hugely successful.

Each international version has introduced local ingredients, with various national delicacies featuring among the challenges.

The format is available in the BBC Worldwide’s formats catalogue at MIPCOM 2013, alongside Sewing Bee which searches for the country’s best amateur sewer; That Puppet Game Show which pits two celebrities against each other in a mix of mental and physical games as they compete to win a cash prize for their chosen charity; two original commissions for BBC Worldwide’s channels, Best in Town and Million Dollar Intern; critically-acclaimed scripted mockumentary Twenty Twelve as well as many established formats including Antiques Roadshow, Beat the Pack, Chefs: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, Junior Doctors – Your Life in Their Hands and Mastermind.

In the UK, The Great British Bake Off is a Love Productions format who also make The Great British Sewing Bee, My Last Summer, Why Don’t You Speak English and Make Bradford British. Viewers are currently mid-way through series 4 on BBC Two which premiered on 20th August 2013 and is regularly attracting over 7m viewers per week outperforming BBC Two’s slot and primetime average shares.

BBC Worldwide stand – G3.40

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information, please contact:

Basia Heath

BBC Worldwide

Tel: +44 (0)208 433 2120

Email: basia.heath@bbc.com

Twitter: @Basia_Heath

Dagmar Christadler

ProSiebenSat.1 Deutschland TV GmbH

Tel. +49 [89] 9507-1185

Email: Dagmar.Christadler@ProSiebenSat1.com

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About BBC Worldwide Ltd

BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBC Worldwide exists to support the BBC public service mission and to maximise profits on its behalf. It does this through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also builds the reach and reputation of the BBC brand overseas and champions British creativity.

In 2012/13, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £156m and headline sales of £1,116m and returned £156m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website:

 http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview

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About ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland GmbH

ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland GmbH is a 100-percent subsidiary of ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. Since 2009 the German advertising-financed broadcasters, SAT.1, ProSieben and kabel eins, have successfully worked together under one roof in Unterfoehring, near Munich, in May 2010 they received reinforcement from the women's channel sixx and in January 2013 from SAT.1 Gold. In September 2013 the next TV channel that joined the ProSiebenSat.1 family was ProSieben MAXX.

The broadcasting family offers strong broadcast brands with recognition value, clear profiles, and a colourful mix of popular, familiar and big, innovative programming - largely in HD. With ideal coordination of brands, strategies, and programming schedules, the broadcast group guarantees the best entertainment on German television.

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