ITV has announced £30m in temporary savings, including £25m from spending on programmes. The British broadcaster is cutting costs as it forecasts a fall in advertising revenue, the Guardian reports. ITV says the plan does not involve job cuts.
In an update on 11 November 2026, the company forecast that advertising revenue would fall by 5–10% in the final quarter of the year and by 2–3% across 2026 as a whole. These are the broadcaster’s forecasts, rather than final financial results.
ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall linked weaker advertising demand to macroeconomic uncertainty and growing competition from global streaming platforms, which are also competing for advertisers’ budgets.
Smaller commissions set to move into 2027
According to the Guardian, the reductions in programme spending will mainly affect smaller commissions from independent production companies, with projects pushed back to 2027. ITV plans to find the remaining £5m in savings elsewhere in the business.
The distinction between postponing commissions and cancelling them matters: the reported plan primarily changes when some spending will take place. ITV describes the savings as temporary, although producers waiting for commissions face a longer wait for their projects to go ahead.
Sale of TV and streaming business to Sky still awaiting completion
The savings announcement comes as ITV prepares for a change of ownership for part of its business. According to the Guardian, ITV has agreed to sell its television and streaming operations to Sky for £1.6bn. The transaction has not yet been completed and remains subject to regulatory proceedings.
ITV said on 11 November that it still expected the deal to complete in the second half of 2027. That is the company’s anticipated timetable, not a confirmed completion date.
