Idris Elba is looking to add a television channel owner to his resume. Deadline reports the Sonic the Hedgehog star is in discussions with Miroma in support of the marketing network’s potential £1B ($1.2B) bid to British broadcaster Channel 4. The news was first reported by The Sunday Times. It would be a joint bid alongside Marc Boyan, who founded the international marketing firm Miroma Group. It was initially reported in October 2023 that Miroma was looking to make the purchase. While Elba runs his own production company, Green Door Pictures, he has never owned a media business the size of Channel 4. He’s known for his work in projects that include HBO’s The Wire, along with film roles in the likes of Beast of No Nation, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and several Marvel projects, as well as Luther.
The British government is committed to selling Channel 4 to allow it to better compete in the digital era. Many are reportedly in opposition to the deal as it’s viewed to potentially cause harm to many small producers. Bankers JP Morgan reportedly began fielding preliminary offers for the channel in late 2023, with a figure as high as £2B ($2.5B) proposed. Likely bidders from the media industry include ITV, Comcast which owns Sky, Paramount which owns Channel 5, as well as Discovery and French company Vivendi.
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Shows that currently air on the channel include Junior Bake Off, True Love, First Dates, Married at First Sight UK, The Couple Next Door, and The Great British Bake Off. Most shows can be streamed online and via other streaming apps, with The Great British Bake Off available on Netflix.
Elba hasn’t made any announcements publicly. He also works as an international DJ in addition to his work as an actor and producer. He splits his time between the States and London.
