The Great British Bake Off moved to Channel 4 primarily because the show's production company, Love Productions, wanted more money than the BBC was willing to pay. The BBC had financial limits on how much of the license fee it could allocate to the show, and despite making a strong offer, the BBC and Love Productions were £10 million apart in their valuation. Consequently, Love Productions signed a three-year deal with Channel 4, which allowed for more commercial opportunities and higher revenue potential. This move also led to some key original figures like Mary Berry, Mel Giedroyc, and Sue Perkins departing the show, with Paul Hollywood being the notable judge who followed the show to Channel 4.

The move was also seen as a necessity as the relationship between the production company and the BBC had deteriorated, with Love Productions feeling "bullied" by the BBC's commercial restrictions. The switch to Channel 4 was viewed by its creators as saving the show from decline or "death".

In summary, financial disagreements combined with creative and commercial freedom were the main drivers behind the move of Bake Off from the BBC to Channel 4.