Idris Elba (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) is in talks on a joint bid with the marketing firm Miroma to buy the British broadcasting station Channel 4, according to The Sunday Times. The site also reported that a potential deal could end up being worth as much as £1B ($1.2 billion).
The Sunday Times reports that Elba is in discussions with Marc Boyan, who founded the international marketing firm, Miroma Group. According to Deadline, Miroma had appointed JP Morgan back in October to look into a potential acquisition of the British broadcasting channel.
According to Deadline, the British Government has been set on selling Channel 4, which was state-owned, in order for the station to better compete in the digital era. However, per Deadline, the broadcasting industry has opposed this potential move as it could be harmful for smaller producers.
Deadline reports that JP Morgan began fielding early offers last month, with some of the offers being worth as much as £2B ($2.5 billion), though the British Government initially estimated the selling price to be £1B ($1.2 billion). Potential bidders in the industry include ITV, Comcast, Paramount, Discovery and French media company Vivendi. Comcast owns British station Sky, while Paramount owns Channel 5, another British broadcaster.
Elba does already run his own production company, Green Door Pictures, but has never owned a media business as big as Channel 4. He is most known for his roles in films such as Beasts Of No Nation, The Losers, Pacific Rim, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, as well as multiple Marvel movies including Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War. Elba has also appeared in recurring roles on many notable TV shows including Luther, The Wire, The Office, Dangerfield, and Family Affairs. Most recently, he voiced Knuckles in Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and appeared in the critically-acclaimed film, The Harder They Fall.