Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls confirmed the show's future during Monday's broadcast, following ITV's announcement of a £1.6 billion deal to sell its television and streaming services to Sky.
Breaking News on Air
Sean Fletcher delivered the "breaking news" live on air, stating: "ITV has announced that it's agreed to sell its TV and streaming services to Sky for £1.6 billion. The deal will create the largest commercial broadcaster [that's] set to rival streaming platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix."
Later in the programme, entertainment reporter Richard Arnold addressed viewer concerns, saying: "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."
Susanna Reid's Assurance
Susanna Reid then confirmed: "We're going nowhere," before Richard added: "More importantly for you guys at home, as well, it's free to air on ITV and ITVX moving forward. So, nothing will change." The deal will create the UK's largest commercial broadcaster, with more details promised later in the show.
Historic Media Deal
The acquisition is among the most significant takeovers in British media history. American-owned Comcast, Sky's parent company, initiated talks in November last year. Sky chief executive Dana Strong called it "a defining moment for British media."
Sky Group stated: "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." The statement assured viewers that popular shows like 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, will continue.
