Youth-oriented Channel 4 is owned by the government but funded entirely through advertisement. It has faced heavy competition from streaming platforms, fighting for the attention of similarly younger audiences.

In May, culture secretary Oliver Dowden repeated that privatising Channel 4 was “on the table” as part of a wider review into the UK’s public service broadcasters.

Dowden previously said the government had “not ruled out” selling the company by 2024, when its current licence will need to be renewed.