Murdoch confident of Sky deal by July

FOX boss James Murdoch is confident it will finish its £11.7bn takeover of British broadcaster Sky in the summer despite regulator concerns.

The son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch wants the deal done ahead of his company’s takeover by Disney and told analysts: ‘We anticipate regulatory approval for our proposed Sky transaction by the end of June.’

Fox’s 39pc holding in Sky has been described as a ‘crown jewel’ by Disney boss Bob Iger. But regulator concerns about Rupert Murdoch’s influence over the UK media have meant that Sky News is a key barrier to Fox’s bid to take control of the rest of Sky. James Murdoch, 45, said: ‘We’re very focused on closing all the transactions that we have up in the air.’

The UK Competition and Markets Authority will give its verdict on the takeover by May 1. Culture Secretary Matt Hancock must then decide whether to approve or block Fox’s proposal.