The government has today confirmed that Channel 4 is to avoid privatisation and remain under public ownership.
After what has been years of talks to sell the broadcaster for a reported possible £1.5 billion, which had faced strong opposition from executives at Channel 4 itself and throughout much of the TV industry, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has today confirmed a U-turn on such privatisation plans and announced that the channel will stay under public ownership, The Manc reports.
The government says Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan has "decided not to privatise Channel 4 after reviewing the business case for its sale".
This means that the broadcaster will remain in public ownership, but now with what the government is calling "greater commercial flexibility", an "increased investment in skills and jobs", as well as new production arrangements to "support" the channel's "long-term sustainability and growth".
Ms Donelan has called Channel 4 "a British success story" and "a linchpin of our booming creative industries", but says she has decided that pursuing a sale is not the best option to "ease the challenges" the broadcaster is facing, nor to support growth in the UK’s creative economy - especially the independent production sector.
The government says that doing nothing, however, also "carries risks".
This is why it says it believes change is necessary to ensure the broadcaster can thrive, both "now and long into the future" in what is a rapidly-changing media landscape.
Following discussions with Channel 4 and the independent production sector, the government has also confirmed an "ambitious package of measures" as an alternative to a sale.
"The package will ensure the broadcaster remains focused on sustainability and has new opportunities to grow while serving audiences in the decades to come with high-quality, innovative and distinctive content," the government explains.
In addition to the package of measures, the government says Channel 4 has also committed to increasing the number of roles outside London - which is set to provide more opportunities for people from across the UK to gain experience in the broadcast media sector.
Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan "decided not to privatise Channel 4 after reviewing the business case for its sale" / Credit: Flickr
Channel 4 - which was created in 1982, and has been funded entirely by advertising out of public ownership for the last 40 years, with everything it airs is commissioned from external production companies - has welcomed the decision to ditch privatisation plans for it to remain "safely in the hands of the British people".
The broadcaster said in a statement: "For over 40 years, Channel 4 has been a keystone of Britain's universal, free, public service broadcasting architecture.
"We have spoken up for diverse and young audiences across the UK, nurtured new talent and held power to account, but standing still has never been an option for Channel 4 throughout our history.
"Indeed, our next stage of evolution is already well under way."
Featured Image - Flickr
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Leeds Festival 2026 – drinks prices for beer, cider, wine, spirits and more
Leeds Festival 2026 is officially underway and we've rounded up drinks prices at the bars on the festival site.
While many of us will be sipping on warm cans of cider and boxes of wine at the camp sites, you can't take any of your own alcohol into the arena (where all the stages are) itself.
So you'll need to budget for drinks over the course of the weekend if you want to watch the headliners with a pint in hand.
And with headline performances from the likes of Fontaines D.C., Raye, Florence and the Machine and Dave, there's masses of amazing live music on the horizon at Leeds Festival 2026.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
We're already on site at Leeds Festival ready to bring you all the action and updates from this massive weekend - staring with, importantly, drinks prices.
So, let's get into it...
This year you're looking at paying around £7 of beer and £7.50 £7.50 for a pint of cider.
Different for this year, is you'll get 10% off if paying with a Paypal debit card which you can get for free - which we think is pretty class and well worth your time.
You can take your own empty water bottles in to refill at water stations around the festival site.
You're also allowed to bring in sealed water/soft drinks which are 500ml or less.
And if you're taking your own booze into the campsites, remember that there's no glass allowed, so you'll need to decant anything into plastic bottles.
Here are all your drinks prices for Leeds Festival 2026
Beer and cider
Budweiser - £7 (£6.30 with Paypal discount)
Corona Extra - £7.50 (£6.75 with Paypal discount)
Kopparberg Crisp Apple - £7.50 (£6.75 with Paypal discount)
Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime - £7.70 (£6.93 with Paypal discount)
Rose - 175ml £10 / btl £35 (£9/£31.5 with Paypal discount)
Italian sparkling - 200ml £10 (£9 with Paypal discount)
No and Low
Budweiser Zero - £5.80 (£5.22 with Paypal discount)
Water - £2.50 (£2.25 with Paypal discount)
And that should just about do you in terms of booze - as always, please drink responsibly and look after each other.
For all the other important information, you can consult our complete 2026 Leeds Festival guide down below.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
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Leeds Festival warning issued as police announce speed cameras and traffic restrictions
Clementine Hall
Leeds Fest is almost here, but festival-goers heading to Bramham Park by car have been warned to take extra care on the roads.
Driving to Leeds Festival has never been particularly easy, but West Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to those driving by car in an attempt to make it somewhat easier.
Ahead of Leeds Festival 2026, temporary traffic management measures will be in place from Wednesday 26 August until Monday 31 August.
The measures are designed to improve road safety, reduce congestion, and help ensure the safe movement of the tens of thousands of people expected to attend the event.
Speed camera enforcement vans will be operating throughout the festival period alongside clearways surrounding the festival site.
Police have warned that drivers caught breaking the temporary restrictions could face prosecution, so it's definitely worth keeping an eye out for the signage as you approach the festival.
Superintendent Dan Wood said: “Leeds Festival is one of the largest events in West Yorkshire and attracts a significant increase in traffic to the local road network.
"The temporary speed restrictions and clearways are being introduced to help keep everyone safe, including festival-goers, local residents and road users.
"We would ask all motorists to pay close attention to the temporary signage in place and allow extra time for their journeys. Speed enforcement will be carried out during the event, and we encourage drivers to comply with all restrictions for their own safety and that of others."
Festival attendees are also being urged to follow the event signage rather than relying solely on their sat nav. Dedicated routes will direct different categories of visitors to the correct locations, including:
Camping entrances
Day / Non-camping ticket parking areas
Drop-off and pick-up points
Staff and authorised vehicle access routes
Motorists who follow sat nav directions alone may be directed to unsuitable routes, causing unnecessary delays for themselves and other road users.
Emily Sergeant -
5th January 2023 
