ITVS in talks to buy Love Productions as part of Sky/ITV mega-deal

ITV Studios is in talks to acquire Bake Off producer Love Productions as part of Sky’s £1.6bn takeover of ITV’s Media & Entertainment division, Broadcast understands.

ITV yesterday confirmed it remains in “active discussions” with Sky over the high-profile deal, which was first revealed in November.

If it goes through, ITV’s network and streaming assets would transfer to the Comcast-owned pay-TV operator and ITV Studios will become a standalone business.

A report by Reuters has flagged that ITVS will gain rights to some Sky TV series and will acquire a production unit of Sky as part of the transaction, and sources have told Broadcast the indie in question is Sky Studios-owned Love.

The company is behind shows including Channel 4 flagships The Great British Bake Off and The Piano. Its output also includes The Great Pottery Throw Down for C4, as well as BBC2’s The Great British Sewing Bee.

Love was founded by Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie in 2004, before Sky Studios acquired a 70% stake a decade later. The broadcaster took full control in 2020.

McKerrow stepped down last year and Love is now led by chief executive Ralph Lee who was appointed in November 2025, revealed by Broadcast. Other key staff include creative director Kieran Smith and executive editor Simon Evans. It has offices in London, Bristol and LA.

Sources highlighted that Love would provide a considerable boost to ITVS’s unscripted stable. Bake Off is a major format around the world with almost 40 international versions produced. BBC Studios holds the international format sales rights outside of North America until 2028, with US and Canadian rights retained by Sky.

The Piano has also become a major title for Love and its international format rights are currently sold by Fremantle, following a deal struck in 2023.

All parties declined to comment when approached by Broadcast.