Love Productions Limited is a UK-based television production company. Its cooking competition series The Great British Bake Off is among the most watched shows in the UK of its era.
History Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie formed Love Productions in 2004. In 2014, Sky acquired a 70% stake in Love Productions. In 2020, Sky bought the remaining shares making the studio a wholly owned subsidiary, seemingly part of a strategy to build a production empire. The acquisition came on the back of increased dividends for Sky 2019 of £22.7 million compared with £3.5 million in 2018; while two directors received £4.6 million in 2019, up from three directors receiving £1.4 million in 2018.
In 2020, the company's key "Bake off" series of productions has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic which is likely to result in a loss of income in 2020/21.
Love Productions is also associated with the brands Love West, based in Bristol, and Love Productions USA.
As part of the ongoing takeover of ITV's broadcasting arm by Sky, Love Productions is expected to be sold to ITV Studios.
Productions
The list of programmes produced by Love Productions include: Title Genre Network(s) First broadcast Cirque de Celebrité Game show Sky One 2006 The Baby Borrowers Reality television BBC Three 2007 The Great British Bake Off Baking BBC Two (2010–2013)BBC One (2014–2016)Channel 4 (2017–) 2010 Tower Block of Commons Documentary Channel 4 2010 Junior Bake Off Baking CBBC (2011–2016)Channel 4 (2019–) 2011 Rich, Famous and in the Slums Factual BBC One 2011 Make Bradford British Documentary Channel 4 2012 The Great British Sewing Bee Sewing BBC Two (2013–2019)BBC One (2020–) 2013 Benefits Street Documentary Channel 4 2014 Famous, Rich and Hungry Factual BBC One 2014 The Great Pottery Throw Down Pottery BBC Two (2015–2017)More4 (2020)Channel 4 (2021–) 2015 The Chronicles of Nadiya Documentary BBC One 2016 Battle of Britain: Model Squadron Structured reality Channel 4 2018 Structured reality Channel 4 2018 Westside Reality television Netflix 2018 Singapore Social Docuseries Netflix 2019 The Piano Talent show Channel 4 2023 Your Song Talent show Channel 4 2026
Controversies
Love Productions' best earning programme, The Great British Bake Off, had moved network channel from BBC Two to BBC One after three series due to its increasing popularity. Towards the end of series six, Love Productions's profits were decreasing; the company wished to remain on BBC One, however the £75 million asking price for three series was unacceptable to the BBC. Controversy arose as there were concerns the nature of the show would change with the move to Channel 4 and because most of the show's presenters did not make the move for the following series.
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