# Government ‘minded to intervene’ over £83bn Warner Bros Discovery takeover

By Dan Coatsworth — 2026-06-30

Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said: “Regulatory scrutiny of the Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery deal was always a risk, especially given the scope for reviews on a global basis.

“The UK’s inclination to intervene is not a surprise, even if the US has waved it through and the EU has suggested it will also approve, providing certain conditions are met.

“The EU’s caveats hinted there could be a review somewhere along the line, and the UK’s recent record of taking a harder line on deals such as Microsoft-Activision Blizzard, coupled with a left-wing government that wishes to reaffirm its credentials with party loyalists, made it a likely candidate for such action.

“Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy appears concerned about the streaming market and the possible impact of the proposed deal upon established broadcasters.

“Paramount Skydance could potentially try to quell any competition concerns by arguing the rationale for the deal is the fragmentation of the media landscape.

“More content is consumed online rather than through traditional satellite or terrestrial television.”

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