ITV has agreed to sell its media and entertainment business to Sky for up to £1.6 billion, a deal that includes the ITVX platform and ITV's free-to-air channels. The transaction, announced this week, aims to create a UK-focused streaming giant capable of competing with global platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. However, ITV's studio arm, which produces programmes including Love Island and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, is not part of the sale.
What the Deal Means for Coronation Street and Emmerdale
Fans of Coronation Street and Emmerdale have been concerned about the future of the long-running soaps following the acquisition. On Monday, July 6, Good Morning Britain reporter Richard Arnold addressed the issue directly. He stated: "All the t's need to be crossed and the i's need to be dotted. But the important thing for you guys watching at home is it's business as normal. All your favourites - Corrie, Emmerdale, the faces you wake up to every morning on Good Morning Britain - nothing's going to change."
This reassurance comes after a significant shake-up earlier this year, when ITV reduced Coronation Street from three weekly episodes to two, and cut all instalments to 30 minutes. Despite these changes, the soaps remain central to ITV's schedule.
Sky's Vision for the Combined Entity
Dana Strong, Sky’s group chief executive, commented on the deal: "Bringing Sky and ITV Media & Entertainment together combines the very best of free-to-air television, pay TV and streaming. Ensuring viewers across the UK continue to enjoy outstanding British programming in a rapidly changing world. ITV will remain a public service broadcaster at the heart of British life, and we’re excited about the future we can build together."
Sky Group added in a statement: "The UK media market is undergoing a profound and rapid transformation, and as competition for audiences intensifies, scale matters more than ever in order to compete with global streaming giants and YouTube in the UK. Viewers will continue to enjoy the shows they know and love, such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Love Island, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, This Morning, Loose Women, Lorraine and News at Ten – alongside major live sporting events."
Regulatory Approval and Next Steps
The sale is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. If greenlit, the merger will combine Sky's pay-TV infrastructure with ITV's free-to-air reach, potentially reshaping the UK broadcasting landscape. For now, ITV's public service broadcasting obligations remain intact, and the company confirmed that its news and current affairs output will continue unaffected.
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, while Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm.
