Nandy 'minded to intervene' in Sky's £1.6bn takeover of ITV entertainment arm
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is considering intervening in Sky's proposed £1.6bn acquisition of ITV's media and entertainment division. The government is concerned that the merger could negatively impact media plurality and the diversity of news viewpoints in the UK.
Why it matters
This intervention highlights the government's role in regulating media consolidation to protect democratic discourse and public interest.
Image source, Getty Images By Archie Mitchell Business reporter Published 15 October 2026, 14:07 BST Updated 3 minutes ago Lisa Nandy has said she is "minded to intervene" in the proposed £1.6bn deal for Sky to buy ITV's media and entertainment division.
The culture secretary said there were reasonable grounds to believe the deal could affect free expression in the media and the variety of Britain's news landscape.
Sky said it would "carefully consider" a letter from Nandy and "engage constructively" with the review into the deal.
"We remain confident that bringing Sky and ITV's media and entertainment business together will create a stronger British media," it said.
The two companies announced in July that Sky had agreed to buy ITV's broadcasting business, including its free-to-air TV channels and the ITV X streaming service.
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