Comcast Looking To Make A Bid For Both Warner Bros. Discovery And UK Based Broadcaster ITV

Comcast’s European pay-TV business Sky is in talks to acquire U.K. TV giant ITV’s media and entertainment (M&E) unit.

In a statement early Friday morning London time, ITV said it “is in preliminary discussions regarding a possible sale of its M&E business to Sky for an enterprise value of £1.6 billion,” which translates to $2.1 billion.  

The M&E business includes ITV’s commercial free-to-air TV channels in the U.K., as well as its ITVX streaming platform. Its revenue for the first nine months of 2025 was down 5 percent from the year-ago period to £1.45 billion ($1.90 billion).

Not part of a deal would be production powerhouse ITV Studios, which produces such shows as Love Island, Britain’s Got Talent, and the Harlan Coben Netflix hit series Fool Me Once, among many others. ITV Studios has been the topic of much deal chatter in recent years, with the likes of Banijay, All3Media parent RedBird IMI, and others being cited as potential buyers.

Sky is led by CEO Dana Strong. It not only operates pay-TV and streaming businesses in the U.K., Ireland and Italy, but has also been growing its telecom offerings, such as broadband and mobile phone operations. Sky also owns the production arm Sky Studios, which is led by Cécile Frot-Coutaz and has been growing its investment in original content creation. Recent Sky Studios productions have included the likes of Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, starring Harvey Keitel, and The Day of the Jackal, starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.

While confirming overnight reports of deal talks, ITV on Friday also emphasized that a transaction for its M&E division with Comcast’s Sky may ultimately not come together. “There can be no certainty as to the terms upon which any potential sale may be agreed or whether any transaction will take place,” its statement highlighted. “A further announcement will be made in due course if appropriate.”

lTV is led by CEO Carolyn McCall. The news of the deal talks came after ITV said on Thursday that it was planning $46 million in “temporary,” or “one-off,” cost savings amid “softer” advertising demand in the fourth quarter.

Comcast’s potential play for parts of ITV comes at a time when it also seems to be exploring a potential bid for parts of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Overnight reports said that Comcast has hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to evaluate a possible deal for the David Zaslav-led Hollywood conglomerate’s studio and streaming businesses, following WBD’s recent decision to explore various deal options.

Ridiculousness Cancelled On MTV After 46 Seasons

“Ridiculousness” has been canceled at MTV after 14 years and 46 seasons.

The comedy clip series, hosted by Rob Dyrdek, will continue into 2026 with previously shot first-run episodes, but no new episodes will be produced moving forward. Season 46 will be the last installment of the series as reruns continue to air on MTV and select seasons stream on Paramount+.

According to a source familiar with the decision, the cancellation comes as MTV (which is under the Paramount umbrella) looks to feature “a more curated slate of content” that “embraces its experimental DNA” and represents “different creative voices” and a “refreshed programming.”

What that means is unclear, including whether this is a sign MTV will pull back from its over reliance on “Ridiculousness” in its schedule.

With more than 1,700 episodes, “Ridiculousness” is one of the longest-running series in MTV history. Its reruns have long dominated MTV’s linear programming, as the network pulled back from original content and eliminated any remaining music-oriented fare. As Variety reported in 2020, the series has taken up as much as 113 hours (or more) a week out of the network’s 168-hour lineup. To many, the show became a symbol of the zombie-fication of MTV and its lack of original programming.

One day before news of the cancellation broke, Bloomberg reported that MTV was paying Dyrdek, a former professional skateboarder, at least $32.5 million per year, according to court documents reviewed by the publication.

Per Bloomberg, that paycheck includes bonuses, a $21,000-per-episode executive producer fee and an escalating $61,000-per-episode on-camera fee. (Those fees add up when the network orders hundreds of new episodes per year.)

“Ridiculousness” debuted in August 2011 and was co-hosted by Chanel West Coast and then Lauren “Lolo” Wood. The series showcases viral videos of failed stunts and “Jackass”-style buffoonery, as Dyrdek and co. deliver comedic analysis and mockery.

Killing “Ridiculousness” marks a big cutback for the network as Paramount restructures its brands after its $8 merger with David Ellison’s Skydance.

National Geographic Unveils Trailer For "Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip To Remember"

More than 57 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease the most common cause. And every year, there are a staggering 10 million new cases of dementia worldwide, which begs the question: What can we do to help those affected by it? This question is what motivated Chris Hemsworth to return with his most personal mission yet: CHRIS HEMSWORTH: A ROAD TRIP TO REMEMBER.

 

Moving beyond his own health as featured in the LIMITLESS series, in this deeply emotional special, Chris embarks on an intimate motorcycle journey across Australia with his father, Craig, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, to rekindle memories and strengthen their bond, exploring the effective science of connection, community and nostalgia, crucial but often overlooked tools in protecting brain health.

 

The one-hour documentary, from Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa, Jane Root’s Nutopia, and Chris Hemsworth and Ben Grayson’s Wild State, will premiere on National Geographic (DStv 181, StarTimes 220) across Africa on Sunday 16 November 2025 at 6:50 PM (CAT), and will be available on Disney+ in South Africa.

In this touching and uplifting journey, inspired by Craig’s recent diagnosis, Chris and his father set out on their motorcycles on a “road trip back in time,” visiting people and places from their shared past, from suburban Melbourne to the wild expanses of Australia’s Northern Territories, to explore the profound science of social connection. Through the stunning, vast landscapes of Australia, Chris and Craig's journey becomes a funny and moving exploration of a father and son's bond, proving that love, community and shared experience can be potent medicine.

 

Their adventure, some of which Chris films himself, is guided by Dr. Suraj Samtani, a dementia specialist and clinical psychologist at the University of New South Wales Centre for Healthy Brain Aging, who worked with producers in collaboration with the Hemsworth family over the course of a year.

 

Dr. Samtani’s research, along with a recent global study of over 40,000 people across 14 countries, found that those who maintained regular social interactions cut their risk of developing dementia in half, with evidence showing that strong social connections can even slow cognitive decline after diagnosis. This critical finding provides the scientific foundation for the trip’s key beats, including the following:

 

• Reminiscence Therapy: revisiting past experiences by talking to someone about them, using objects from the past (like photos or home videos), or visiting places from the past is a great way to boost cognition.

 

• Social Connection: regular interactions, like talking with a friend or having a confidante, are shown to reduce the risk of early mortality.

 

• Social Bridging: participating in wider community activities, like volunteering or group walks, is linked to slower rates of cognitive decline.

 

"My Dad and I had always spoken about taking a trip back to the Northern Territory, where our family had lived years ago, but we had never been able to set aside the time to actually do it,” said Chris Hemsworth. “More recently the idea of taking that road trip reemerged with more pressing importance. The result was a more profound, more moving, and more surprising journey than I ever anticipated."

Recently, National Geographic released LIMITLESS: LIVE BETTER NOW, where Chris took on epic challenges to reveal ways we can all live better today. In the “Brain Power” episode, he took on a brain-boosting challenge - playing “Thinking Out Loud” on stage with Ed Sheeran before 70,000 fans in Bucharest - a moment that’s since racked up nearly 35 million views across Chris’, Ed’s and Nat Geo's social platforms. A global hit, season one of LIMITLESS is National Geographic’s second most-watched streaming series ever, with nearly half its audience coming from international viewers.

 

CHRIS HEMSWORTH: A ROAD TRIP TO REMEMBER is produced by Protozoa, Nutopia and Wild State for National Geographic. Tom Watt-Smith, Peter Lovering, Arif Nurmohamed and Jane Root serve as executive producers for Nutopia. Creators Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel of Protozoa return to executive produce, and Chris Hemsworth, Ben Grayson and Brandon Hill are executive producers for Wild State. Tom Barbor-Might directs the documentary. For National Geographic, Bengt Anderson and Simon Raikes are executive producers.

How to tune in:

DSTV: Channel 181

StarTimes: 220 on DTH, 220 on DTT (249 on DTT in Uganda)

Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Paramount's Initial Bid For The Company

Warner Bros Discovery Inc. has rebuffed Paramount Skydance Corp.’s initial takeover approach for being too low, according to people familiar with the matter.

Warner Bros. rejected Paramount’s offer of around $20 per share in recent weeks, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private.

Paramount, led by David Ellison, has several options in its pursuit of Warner Bros., including boosting its bid, going directly to shareholders or finding additional backing through a financial partner, they added.

CNBC’s David Faber reported last week that the companies are in talks about a deal but are in disagreement over price and that Paramount could make its offer public to shareholders to pressure Warner Bros.

Representatives for Paramount and Warner Bros. declined to comment.

Warner Bros. shares closed at $17.10 on Friday, giving the company a market value of $42.3 billion. Paramount shares were at $17 a share, valuing it at $18.6 billion.

Ellison, the son of billionaire Larry Ellison, took over Paramount, the parent of CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV and the namesake movie studio, in August after completing an $8 billion merger with his film production company Skydance Media.

Paramount has been in talks with alternative asset manager Apollo Global Management about backing its bid, Bloomberg News reported last week.

Ellison said at the Bloomberg Screentime conference last week that he couldn’t comment on Warner Bros. specifically, but he did make the case for more industry mergers.

Warner Bros. plans to split into two businesses, one focused on cable TV and the other on streaming and studios, in a deal expected to be completed next year.

Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav believes he can get a hefty premium for his streaming and studios businesses once they’re separated from the debt-laden cable networks, Bloomberg News previously reported. To clinch a deal, Ellison will have to convince him that he isn’t leaving money on the table by selling before that happens.

Netflix Set To Bid For Champions League Rights

Streaming giant Netflix is set to bid for UEFA Champions League rights for the 2027/28 season. They are thought to be interested in the ‘global first pick’ package, which will give exclusive rights around the globe for the leading game in each round.

UEFA will attract around €5 billion per year in the next round of bidding, an increase from the current package, which brought them in €3.3 billion.

Champions League Showcases Best Teams in Europe

The UEFA Champions League is considered the premier football competition in Europe, so it is no surprise that Netflix want to be part of the action. They will be hoping to feature the likes of Real Madrid, PSG and Arsenal, three teams flying high in their respective leagues this season. The latter top the Premier League standings ahead of their visit to Fulham in a London derby. They are 1/2 favourites in the Fulham vs Arsenal odds for the game.

In the Premier League betting this season, Liverpool are 11/4 to defend their title. The six-time Champions League winners are hugely popular around the world, so Netflix will be keen to frequently feature Arne Slot’s side if they secure the ‘global first pick’ package.

The Champions League changed its format in 2024 to include a 36-team league in the opening phase of the competition. This has helped to pit the bigger teams against each other earlier than usual, increasing the viewing figures for the group stage.

Amazon Already Involved in Champions League

One of Netflix’s direct competitors, Prime Video, already streams Champions League matches as part of the current package. They share the rights in the UK with TNT Sports, with Amazon broadcasting 17 matches.

Amazon, Apple and Disney are expected to bid along with Netflix for the ‘global first pick’ package from 2027. UEFA will be hoping that with four streaming giants involved, it will drive the auction to record numbers.

The winner of the auction may need to increase the cost of their packages to their customers to fund the expenditure. They will be hoping to attract new subscribers who are keen to watch the Champions League.

Boxing Has Proved a Big Success for Netflix

Should they win the rights to the UEFA Champions League, it won’t be the first sporting event that Netflix have streamed. They have already shown some major boxing events on their platform.

Netflix hosted the exhibition event between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson in 2024. It was watched live by over 60 million households. The company also shot content in the lead-up to the fight to sit across their platform.

More recently, Netflix won the rights to the huge clash between Saul Alvarez and Terence Crawford. That was billed as one of the biggest clashes this decade in the sport. Over 41 million households watched that fight live from Las Vegas.

If they can win the right to the Champions League, it will be a boost for Netflix, who are keen to be more involved in some of the leading sporting events in the world.

Spinners,’ The South African Sports Drama From Canal+ And Showmax, Returns For Season 2

“Spinners,” the South African extreme sports action drama, is returning for a second season that brings back the creators, writers and cast of the hit drama set in Cape Town.

Co-produced by African streaming service Showmax and Canal+, season 2 of “Spinners” shot on location in South Africa with showrunner and co-creator Benjamin Hoffman. Back in the director’s chair is Jaco Bouwer, whose credits include the SXSW prizewinning eco-horror movie “Gaia.” Also back are Matthew Jankes and Sean Steinberg who penned season 2.

Joachim Landau is once again producing the gritty crime drama for Federation Middle East Africa & Caribbean, alongside Ramadan Suleman (“Zulu Love Letter”) who is co-producing through his South African full-service company Natives at Large.

Studiocanal, whose sister company Canal+ commissioned the series, is unveiling a first look of season 2 in the run up to Mipcom. The show illustrates creative synergies between the French TV group and Showmax, the streaming service of MultiChoice, the pan-African pay-TV operator that’s now fully owned by Canal+ and operates across 50 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It will roll out on both Canal+ and MultiChoice platforms, Showmax and DStv.

The first season of “Spinners” make history as the first African show to take part in Canneseries’ main competition in 2023 and went on to win awards at Dakar Series, and the Shanghai TV festival, as well as garnered three nominations at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA).

The first season followed 17-year-old Ethan (Cantona James) seeking a way out of the Southside’s bloody cycle of gang violence through spinning, a South African extreme motorsport that features drivers performing daredevil stunts. Season 2 sees is set two years after Ethan and his friends escaped the violent grip of gang life and have become spinning stars in the big city. “Fame, love, and happiness finally seem within reach—until a brutal ambush, orchestrated by Ethan’s old gang, shatters their peace. Desperate, Ethan turns to the Maseko clan for help but their protection comes at a heavy cost,” the synopsis reads.

Cantona James and Chelsea Thomas reprise their leading roles, along with Brendon Daniels – who starred in “White Lies” opposite Natalie Dormer, and local star Dillon Windvogel (“Blood & Water”). Cameos include Kayla Olifant, a top female spinner who was recently featured in the National Geographic series “David Blaine: Do Not Attempt.”

New cast members are also joining season 2 of “Spinners,” including Clementine Mosimane (“How to Ruin Christmas”), Mondli Makhoba (“Shaka iLembe”) and rising star Luyanda Zwane (“Sibongile and the Dlaminis”) and Aphiwe Mkefe (“Nkuleko”).

The production of “Spinners” season 2 reflects the ambition of Canal+ which aims at ramping up its pipeline of Canal+ original series in Africa to eight shows per year hailing from all over Africa.

Since 2018, Canal+ has produced 35 Canal+ series with African talent in 11 different African countries. These include “Invisibles,” “Agent,” “Cacao,” “Mami Wata,” “Eki,” “Or Blanc,” “Niabla,” “Ewusu” and “Lakantane.”