Comcast challenges 21st Century Fox with £22.1bn Sky bid

Comcast (Swiss: CMCSA.SW - news) has raised the prospect of a bidding war for Sky (Frankfurt: 893517 - news) , the owner of Sky News, by announcing plans for a £22.1bn takeover offer.

The US cable operator confirmed its interest as a 21st Century Fox deal to buy the 61% of Sky it does not already own remains held up by regulatory clearances .

Comcast said its possible all-cash offer of £12.50 per Sky share represented a premium of 16% on the current Fox terms.

Brian Roberts, chief executive of Comcast, said: "We think that Sky would be very valuable to us as we look to expand our presence internationally...

"The UK is and will remain a great place to do business. We already have a strong presence in London and Comcast intends to use Sky as a platform for our growth in Europe.

"We intend to maintain and enhance Sky's business."

Comcast is the biggest cable operator in the US and already owns TV networks including and NBC and E!.

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