TV’s global success story: The creators The Great British Bake OffThey will be hoping that their magic touches transfer to a live audience. ‘Bake Off: The Musical’It will make its theatrical debut in Cheltenham (south-west England) next week.
This friendly, but fiercely competitive baking contest has been a huge success story for British TV over the past decade. The show has been sold all over the globe since its 2010 debut on BBC Two. There have been versions in 35 countries, and many spin-offs. Its creators Love Productions sold the show to Channel 4 in 2016, pocketing £25million and bringing the broadcaster a huge audience.
Now Love have recruited writers Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary to bring the show to life on stage – the pair previously worked on the West End version of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾.
Many elements of the show will be familiar to viewers. The distinctive TV theme music features occasionally in the score, and the set includes the distinctive pastel benches from inside the show’s famous tent.
The characters will also include familiar tropes, from the technical skills of one contestant to the determination of a young baker to challenge tradition.
Rachel Kavanaugh, director, said The TimesMany of these stories were inspired by real-life stories of contestants who found confidence in baking.
She stated: “People sometimes bake for profound reasons, and sometimes practical reasons. One character in the show bakes because she’s got 17 grandchildren, and others bake for reasons more to do with loss or something missing in their lives. Baking is also a generous thing to do, and you’re doing it for other people. We explore how you make relationships through baking.”