MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace backs Paul Hollywood’s move to Channel 4 with The Great British Bake Off

MASTERCHEF judge Gregg Wallace has come forward to support Paul Hollywood's choice to move to Channel 4 with the Great British Bake Off.

The 51-year-old judge came under fire for being the only original member of the presenting team to follow the show after it was pinched by Channel 4 in a £75million three-year deal with Love Productions, who create the show.

But Gregg, 52, said that his fellow cooking judge was doing the right thing by going with the dough - especially considering he has a family to provide for.

He told the : "It's like a footballer leaving a club - all the supporters will hate him, but he's not going to miss an opportunity for more money."

The star added that he felt he was going "what any father with a family would do".

However, he has admitted that in order for the Bake Off to survive in it's new home, the show would have to become "very different".

The final episode of the Bake Off on the BBC brought in a record 14.8million viewers to watch baker Candice Brown take home the sought after trophy.

Viewers of The Great British Bake Off were later left devastated after the realisation the show will never be the same again set in.

In fact, some are even claiming the show is over for good as showmakers Love Productions prepare to move the programme over to Channel 4 from the Beeb in 2018.

As a result, the finale became an unintentional swansong for Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins and Mary Berry – who all decided to leave the show as a result of the move.

Mel and Sue were the first to pull out of the show following the announcement, saying in a joint statement they wouldn't be "going with the dough" less than 24 hours later.

Mary and Paul were then pulled in for crisis talks to remain with the show, but two weeks later Mary announced she would be staying with the BBC too.

It has not yet been revealed who is replacing the trio at the show's new home.

Meanwhile, Gregg has recently celebrated his fourth marriage to Anne-Marie Sterpini, 30, in August - and is now hoping to expand his brood.

The pair met on Twitter when she messaged the culinary whizz to ask if rhubarb went with duck in 2013 and he felt compelled to reply.

He joked with the paper that he hoped the child will be "someone close to his wife's age for her to talk to".

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