<P> The programme was originally presented by Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, with judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood . The current presenters are Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig with Hollywood and Prue Leith as the judges . In chronological order, the winners are Edd Kimber, Joanne Wheatley, John Whaite, Frances Quinn, Nancy Birtwhistle, Nadiya Hussain, Candice Brown, Sophie Faldo and Rahul Mandal . </P> <P> The show has become a significant part of British culture and is credited with reinvigorating interest in baking throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, with many of its participants, including winners, having gone on to start a career based on bakery, while the BAFTA award - winning programme has spawned a number of specials and spin - off shows--a celebrity charity series in aid of Sport Relief / Comic Relief or Stand Up To Cancer; Junior Bake Off for young children (broadcast on the CBBC channel); after - show series An Extra Slice; and Bake Off: The Professionals for teams of pastry chefs . The show's format was used as the basis for two BBC Two series, The Great British Sewing Bee and The Great Pottery Throw Down, and, in addition to the show being shown in other countries (in the United States and Canada, the show is referred to as The Great British Baking Show), the format has also been sold to many countries around the world where local versions of the show are produced . </P> <P> The idea of the baking competition was conceived by producer Anna Beattie after she spoke to a friend who had seen' bake - offs' in America . Beattie was also inspired by the classic English village fête baking competitions; she said: "I loved that idea of village fetes and an old - fashioned baking competition with people who only wanted to bake a good cake ." However, Beattie failed to interest any channel in the idea for four years . In early 2009, they pitched the idea to Janice Hadlow, the then controller of BBC Two . The pitch was successful, and Hadlow and the Commissioning Editor Charlotte Moore commissioned the programme, which was then developed over the next six months . The development team first selected Mary Berry as a judge, and following an audition Paul Hollywood was also appointed . Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc were approached to be presenters of the show . Reproducing the surroundings of the English village fête, the series is filmed in bunting - draped marquees in scenic gardens . </P> <P> On 17 August 2010, the first episode of The Great British Bake Off was shown on BBC Two . It stayed on BBC Two for four years, grew in popularity and became the most popular programme on that channel . In its fifth series it was moved to BBC One where it stayed for three years . It was the most - watched programme on British television in 2015 and 2016 . Following extended negotiations, Love Productions announced that the seventh series of the show would be the last broadcast by the BBC . On 12 September 2016, Love agreed to a three - year deal to broadcast the show on Channel 4 . Giedroyc and Perkins subsequently announced that they would not be returning when the show moves to its new network . On 22 September, Berry announced that she would also be leaving the show when it moved to Channel 4, while Hollywood later announced he would stay . In March 2017, it was announced that Prue Leith would join Hollywood as a judge, while Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig would take over as presenters . </P>

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