ITV reportedly tried to poach Gogglebox earlier this year (Picture: Channel 4)
A source at Channel 4 has reportedly expressed fears over the impact of ITV looking to snap up Gogglebox’s producer.
The This Morning broadcaster confirmed it was ‘actively exploring’ a potential bid to buy production company All3Media, also behind hit shows including The Traitors and Call The Midwife.
If the Love Island network purchases the firm, which could fetch a price tag of over £1 billion, it will own the rights to all its programming, meaning it would be ringfenced for ITV or sold to other broadcasters.
ITV has reportedly already made an attempt to poach Gogglebox from Channel 4 earlier this year – and buying All3Media would certainly help make the move a reality.
But a Channel 4 insider has shared concerns over the repercussions ITV owning All3Media could have on the broadcasting landscape, stating it could harm competition.
They told The Telegraph: ‘All3 are a big supplier for us and we’d certainly want that to continue. You can see why ITV would want to buy it – it is a great company and it fits in with their own diversification strategy.
Celebrities including Zoe Ball have also given it a spin at being a couch critic (Picture: Channel 4)
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‘Adding All3 to ITV Studios would be a very big player in the UK production market and we will always want to ensure that there is healthy competition in the market.’
Last month it was reported by Deadline that ITV managing director Kevin Lygo approached Gogglebox, which comes up for renewal at Channel 4 roughly every three years, ‘mid contract’.
It was understood by the publication at the time Gogglebox will continue to air on Channel 4. The show has been broadcast on the It’s A Sin broadcaster in recent weeks.
All3Media also produces hit reality show The Traitors (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert Associates)
It is also behind major dramas including Phoebe Waller Bridge’s Fleabag (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)
The hit reality programme, which features the likes of best friends Jenny and Lee, sisters Ellie and Izzi, and The Malone Family, has picked up plenty of awards over recent years, including the factual award at the National Television Awards 2021, and reality and constructed factual award at the Bafta TV awards the following year.
The celebrity spin-off, meanwhile, has seen the likes of Rylan Clark, Roman Kemp and Shaun Ryder transform into TV sofa critics.
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Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV and Channel 4 for comment.
Gogglebox is available to stream on All4.
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