Fans of Coronation Street, Emmerdale, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Love Island can breathe easy after Sky confirmed that ITV’s biggest programmes will remain free to watch until at least 2034, following its landmark £1.6 billion acquisition of ITV’s media and entertainment business.
The takeover, one of the largest in British media history, is aimed at creating a stronger competitor to global streaming giants such as Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube, as traditional broadcasters battle declining audiences and advertising revenues.
Sky Chief Executive Dana Strong said ITV’s public service broadcasting commitments guarantee that its flagship programmes will remain available free-to-air until the broadcaster’s current licence expires in 2034.
“There will be no immediate changes for viewers,” Strong told the BBC, adding that if audiences are still devoted to Coronation Street a decade from now, Sky intends to ensure the soap continues to air on ITV.
“We’ve secured a five-year content agreement for the programmes viewers love, and discussions about future arrangements will happen closer to the time,” she said.
Strong also revealed plans to bring some sporting events currently exclusive to Sky onto ITV, allowing more viewers to watch premium sports coverage without a subscription.
She added that Sky intends to continue supporting both ITV News and Sky News, although the long-term structure of the news operations remains undecided.
The acquisition covers ITV’s television channels and its ITVX streaming platform but excludes ITV Studios, the production company behind global hits including Love Island and I’m a Celebrity. Scottish broadcaster STV, which operates the Channel 3 service across most of Scotland, is also outside the deal.
Even so, Sky has agreed to spend £2.1 billion commissioning content from ITV Studios over the next five years, ensuring a continued pipeline of British-made programming.
ITV Chief Executive Dame Carolyn McCall described the transaction as essential for the future of British commercial broadcasting.
She said viewing habits have changed dramatically, with streaming hours more than tripling over the past five years, intensifying competition for both audiences and advertisers.
“In order to keep investing in great British content and protect what makes ITV special as a public service broadcaster, we believe this is absolutely the right deal,” McCall said.
Former ITV Chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette also welcomed the merger, arguing that consolidation is vital if domestic broadcasters are to survive against global streaming platforms with vastly greater financial resources.
Without such deals, he warned, traditional broadcasters across Europe risk becoming increasingly irrelevant over the next two decades.
He said the agreement would help safeguard investment in news, regional programming and popular entertainment while strengthening Britain’s ability to compete internationally.
The acquisition still requires approval from Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, acknowledged that the combined company would have greater strength to attract audiences and advertisers but said regulators must carefully assess whether the merger serves viewers’ interests.
She also stressed that audiences would want reassurance that their favourite programmes remain unaffected.
Under the agreement, ITV will receive:
- £1.2 billion in cash;
- Sky’s Love Productions business—maker of The Great British Bake Off—valued at £200 million; and
- A further £200 million in 2028 if agreed advertising revenue targets are achieved.
Meanwhile, ITV Studios will become an independent production company after the transaction is completed.
