ITV is scheduled to report its latest trading figures on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, amid ongoing government and regulatory investigations into the proposed sale of its media and entertainment arm. The £1.6 billion deal, which would see the division sold to Sky, is currently being reviewed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the communications regulator Ofcom after an intervention by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
The sale, agreed upon in July 2026, includes ITV’s terrestrial television channels and its streaming service, ITVX. The transaction does not include ITV Studios, the company's production arm responsible for programs such as "I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here" and "Mr Bates Vs The Post Office." ITV management intends for the sale to shift the company's focus toward TV production and reduce its dependence on advertising revenue, which fluctuates with economic cycles.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy formally intervened in the deal citing public interest concerns regarding free speech and media plurality in the United Kingdom. As part of this intervention, Nandy announced plans to bring forward new streaming legislation to ensure public interest tests apply to on-demand programming. The CMA and Ofcom are required to submit their reports on the impact of the deal to the Culture Secretary by January 27, 2027.
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, noted that the regulatory scrutiny could potentially delay the completion of the transaction. In its previous half-year report, ITV posted a 16% increase in pre-tax profits to £78 million on total revenues of £1.89 billion, though it cautioned in July that third-quarter advertising revenues were projected to drop by approximately 5% due to economic conditions.
The transaction represents a £1.6 billion shift in assets between two of the country's largest broadcasters. The move is designed to focus ITV's resources into its production arm, ITV Studios. The regulatory decision will determine whether Sky can integrate these terrestrial assets to compete more directly with global streaming platforms.
Beyond the immediate financial impact, the intervention by the Culture Secretary involves the introduction of new streaming legislation so that on-demand services are subject to public interest standards. The deadline for the CMA and Ofcom to report their findings is January 27, 2027. Following these reports, the Culture Secretary will decide whether the sale can proceed, be subject to conditions, or be blocked.