Buyer Database · Buyer / Distributor · Updated
Itv
ITV is actively commissioning across drama, factual, and entertainment formats while managing a deliberate cost-reduction cycle, with ITV Studios posting double-digit revenue growth as the linear ad market softens.
Current mandate
ITV is in an active commissioning posture even as it executes a deliberate cost-reduction programme in its Media and Entertainment division. The broadcaster has ordered the six-part lunar thriller "First Woman" starring Andrea Riseborough and Ashley Walters, commissioned the final installment of the long-running "Up" documentary series ("70 Up"), and renewed returning formats including "Grace" (Season 7 plus four stand-alone films) and "Fletchers' Family Farm" (Season 2). Talent retention is also a current priority, evidenced by a newly signed three-year contract with Ant and Dec. The £20m in content savings being generated by moving some programming into 2026 is financed out of existing 2026 content spending plans, meaning the overall content envelope remains intact rather than reduced.
Over the past twelve months, ITV's commissioning pattern has leaned into returnable IP, celebrity-fronted factual (Freddie Flintoff: Understanding Tourette's; Gary Barlow's Food and Wine Tour: New Zealand; Freddie Flintoff's Mission: Nepal), and format adaptations (Holey Moley UK). ITV Studios, the production and distribution arm, grew external revenue by 20% in the nine months to September 30, 2025, with deliveries to Apple TV+, Peacock, and the BBC confirming its role as a global content supplier. Digital ad revenue via ITVX rose 15% in the same period, and total streaming hours on ITVX increased by 14%, signalling that the platform is a growing priority alongside linear broadcast.
Producers and rights-holders seeking access should note that ITV commissions through named genre controllers. "70 Up" was commissioned by Sue Murphy, head of factual entertainment commissioning, and Jo Clinton-Davis, controller of Factual ITV. ITV Studios also co-produces and distributes internationally, making it a potential partner for projects with global streaming platform appeal. With 106 decision-makers tracked and 5 unique deals recorded in the past 30 days, the organisation remains operationally active despite the cost-management cycle.
Signature peaks
- +20% ITV Studios External Revenue Growth — Nine months to 30 Sep 2025; driven by global streaming platform deliveries
- +15% ITVX Digital Ad Revenue Growth — Nine months to 30 Sep 2025; streaming hours up 14% in the same period
- ~£1.21bn Total 2025 Content Budget — Full-year expectation; £20m in Q4 content shifted to 2026 within existing plans
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- factual entertainment, lifestyle, pet/animal, daytime entertainment
- Territory focus
- UK
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- ITV commissions through named genre controllers; factual entertainment routes through Sue Murphy and Jo Clinton-Davis. ITV Studios co-production and distribution relationships offer a parallel pathway for projects with global streaming platform appeal. ScriptMatch tracks 106 ITV decision-makers across the organisation.
- Deal structure
- All recent commissions are budget-undisclosed. ITV operates as both a direct commissioner (linear and ITVX) and an international distributor via ITV Studios. Co-production arrangements with global streaming platforms (Apple TV+, Peacock, BBC) are an active deal structure. Talent deals (such as the Ant and Dec three-year contract) are also part of the current activity mix. Financial terms are not publicly disclosed on individual projects.
Recent acquisitions
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70 Up
'70 Up' has been commissioned by Sue Murphy, head of factual entertainment commissioning ITV and Jo Clinton-Davis, controller of Factual ITV.
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70 Up (final two-part installment of 'Up' series)
'70 Up' has been commissioned by Sue Murphy, head of factual entertainment commissioning ITV and Jo Clinton-Davis, controller of Factual ITV.
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Ant and Dec three-year ITV contract
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Broadcast rights for England Women’s football team matches
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First Woman
ITV has ordered six-part lunar thriller First Woman, starring Andrea Riseborough and Ashley Walters
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Fletchers' Family Farm Season 2
ITV1 and ITVBe have commissioned a second season of Fletchers' Family Farm
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Freddie Flintoff's Mission: Nepal
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Freddie Flintoff: Understanding Tourette's
ITV has commissioned two-part factual series Freddie Flintoff: Understanding Tourette's (working title), produced by Fremantle-backed 72 Films
Market context
"We continue to expect to outperform the broadcast advertising market in Q4, and have a strong programme slate for Q4 and into 2026, including the men's 2026 Football World Cup."
ITV is in an active commissioning posture even as it executes a deliberate cost-reduction programme in its Media and Entertainment division. The broadcaster has ordered the six-part lunar thriller "First Woman" starring Andrea Riseborough and Ashley Walters, commissioned the final installment of the long-running "Up" documentary series ("70 Up"), and renewed returning formats including "Grace" (Season 7 plus four stand-alone films) and "Fletchers' Family Farm" (Season 2). Talent retention is also a current priority, evidenced by a newly signed three-year contract with Ant and Dec. The £20m in content savings being generated by moving some programming into 2026 is financed out of existing 2026 content spending plans, meaning the overall content envelope remains intact rather than reduced.
Common questions about Itv
Does ITV accept unsolicited scripts or pitches?
ITV commissions through named genre controllers rather than open submission portals. Recent commissions such as "70 Up" were routed through Sue Murphy, head of factual entertainment commissioning, and Jo Clinton-Davis, controller of Factual ITV. Independent producers typically approach ITV via established production company relationships or through ITV Studios co-production routes. Unsolicited scripts from unrepresented writers are not a documented pathway based on current available information; representation or an established production partner is the practical entry point.
What budgets does ITV commission at?
Budget figures are not publicly disclosed on individual commissions. ITV's total content budget for 2025 is expected to be approximately £1.21bn across the full slate. The broadcaster has identified £20m in Q4 2025 content savings by moving some programming into 2026, financed from existing 2026 spending plans, suggesting the overall envelope is being managed rather than cut. Individual project budgets vary significantly by genre and format; no per-title figures have been disclosed in recent coverage.
Does ITV acquire projects from film festivals?
ITV's recent acquisition activity skews toward commissioned originals and returning formats rather than festival pickups. The ITV Studios arm, however, actively distributes content to global streaming platforms including Apple TV+, Peacock, and the BBC, and its 20% external revenue growth in the nine months to September 2025 reflects strong demand from those partners. Festival-sourced acquisitions are not a prominently documented pattern in recent signals, though ITV's broader M&A activity and content appetite mean festival titles are not categorically excluded.
How do you get in touch with ITV commissioning executives?
ITV's commissioning structure is genre-specific. Factual entertainment is overseen by Sue Murphy (head of factual entertainment commissioning) and Jo Clinton-Davis (controller of Factual ITV), both of whom are credited on recent commissions. CEO Carolyn McCall and the ITV Studios leadership team handle broader strategic and co-production conversations. ScriptMatch currently tracks 106 ITV decision-makers, providing a mapped contact layer across genres. Industry events, production company partnerships, and ITV Studios co-production discussions are the most documented access routes.
What genres is ITV buying right now?
Current commissioning spans drama/thriller ("First Woman," a six-part lunar thriller; "Grace" Season 7 plus four stand-alone films), factual documentary ("70 Up"; "Freddie Flintoff: Understanding Tourette's"; "Freddie Flintoff's Mission: Nepal"), travel and lifestyle ("Gary Barlow's Food and Wine Tour: New Zealand"), reality and factual entertainment ("Fletchers' Family Farm" Season 2; "I'm a Celebrity... South Africa" second season), and format adaptations ("Holey Moley" UK version). Sports rights are also active, with England Women's football matches acquired and the men's 2026 Football World Cup on the forward slate.
Is ITV currently active as a buyer and distributor?
Yes. ITV recorded 5 unique deals in the past 30 days and 13 in the past 90 days, with the latest signal dated June 29, 2026. ITV Studios is simultaneously a commissioner, producer, and international distributor, delivering titles to Apple TV+, Peacock, and the BBC in Q3 2025 alone. The company is managing a temporary cost-reduction cycle in its Media and Entertainment division, including £35m in Q4 2025 savings, but has stated this does not affect its ability to deliver its strategic plan. M&A speculation around ITV as both a target and an acquirer has also been reported in 2025.
Adjacent buyers in this lane
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