Proposed sale of the Telegraph to Axel Springer update
UIN: HCWS1508 On Friday 6 March 2026, I was informed by representatives of RB Investco Limited that RB Investco Ltd intends to sell its call option to purchase the Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited, owner of the Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers, to the Ge...
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HCWS1508
Proposed sale of the Telegraph to Axel Springer update
Statement made on 14 April 2026
Statement UIN HCWS1508
Statement made by
Lisa Nandy
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Labour
Wigan
Commons
Statement
On Friday 6 March 2026, I was informed by representatives of RB Investco Limited that RB Investco Ltd intends to sell its call option to purchase the Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited, owner of the Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers, to the German media company Axel Springer SE. They have asked for my written consent to allow RB Investco Ltd to derogate from the Public Interest Merger Reference (Telegraph Media Group Limited) (Pre-emptive Action) Order 2024 (the “2024 Order) to sell its option.
Today, I gave my written consent under the 2024 Order to RB Investco Ltd to sell its call option to purchase the Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd to Axel Springer.
In my quasi-judicial role I have also assessed the proposed merger between Axel Springer and the Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd under the public interest media mergers regime and the foreign state influence regime as set out in the Enterprise Act 2002. I am currently not minded to intervene in this merger under either regime on the basis of the evidence available to me at this time. This is without prejudice to my ability to intervene in this merger within the applicable statutory time limits, if new or additional information comes to my attention.
I am pleased to be able to take these positive steps, which give greater certainty to the Telegraph and its staff.
Statement from
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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This statement has also been made in the House of Lords
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Proposed sale of the Telegraph to Axel Springer update
Baroness Twycross
Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling, and DCMS Lords Minister
Labour, Life peer
Statement made 14 April 2026
HLWS1512
Lords