Freshfields advises ITV on sale of its Media & Entertainment business to Sky and the acquisition of Love Productions

Global law firm Freshfields is advising ITV plc on the sale of its Media & Entertainment business (ITV M&E) to Sky UK Limited, including the acquisition of Love Productions Limited from Sky Ventures Ltd. The total consideration will be up to £1.6bn.

ITV is one of the UK's leading media and entertainment companies, operating through ITV Studios, a global producer and distributor of content, and ITV M&E, home to the UK's largest commercial free-to-air broadcaster and streaming platform ITVX. The sale of ITV M&E to Sky will leave ITV Studios as a distinctive pure-play global content business, enhanced by the addition of Love Productions, home of shows such as Great British Bake Off and The Piano.

The Freshfields team is led by Piers Prichard Jones, Kate Cooper and Toby Halford with support from partners including Martin McElwee and Colin Raftery on antitrust and regulatory, Zofia Aszendorf and Giles Pratt on IP/ IT, data and commercial arrangements, Alice Greenwell on employment, Dawn Heath and Andrew Murphy on pensions and Paul Davison on tax.

The transaction is expected to complete in the second half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and the completion of the separation of ITV M&E from ITV Studios. 

Further information on the transaction can be found here.