Sky owner Comcast in talks to buy ITV’s broadcasting arm for £2bn

Deal would exclude ITV Studios but would mark major shake-up of UK television

The parent company of Sky is in talks to buy ITV’s broadcasting business for about £2bn, in a move that would upend the British television landscape.

The US media company Comcast, which owns assets including Universal Studios and bought Rupert Murdoch’s Sky for £30bn in 2018, is in talks to buy ITV’s broadcasting arm, which includes its TV channels and streaming service ITVX.

It comes two decades after James Murdoch made an audacious move to become the biggest shareholder in the UK’s largest commercial free-to-air broadcaster. Rupert’s youngest son acquired a 17.9% stake in ITV for £940m in 2006.

A deal would not involve its production arm ITV Studios – the maker of shows including Love Island, I’m a Celebrity and the hit drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office – which has been the subject of separate takeover talks.