ITV plans £30m cuts as Sky sale faces regulatory review

ITV will make £30 million in temporary fourth-quarter savings in its Media & Entertainment division, as the broadcaster forecasts weaker advertising revenue and its proposed £1.6 billion sale of the business to Sky remains under regulatory review.

The company said £25 million of the savings would come from content spending and £5 million from discretionary non-content costs. The measures are intended to align spending with advertiser demand. ITV said the cuts were not expected to affect jobs.

ITV reported that advertising revenue fell 8% in the quarter ended September 30, 2026, compared with the same period a year earlier. Revenue from advertising was down 1% year on year over the first nine months.

The broadcaster forecast total advertising revenue would be about 5% to 10% lower in the fourth quarter of 2026 than in the same quarter of 2025. For the full year, it expects a decline of about 2% to 3% compared with 2025.

Chief Executive Carolyn McCall attributed weaker demand to broader economic uncertainty, increased digital advertising on global streaming platforms and restrictions on advertising less healthy foods that took effect on October 1, 2025. ITV said the 2026 content...