LONDON, 24 May 2025 — A consortium led by U.S. private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners has reached an agreement to acquire The Daily Telegraph, one of Britain’s most influential newspapers, in a deal reportedly worth £500 million (US$673 million).
The transaction marks a significant development in the long-running saga over the ownership of the right-leaning broadsheet, following a period of uncertainty triggered by political intervention and regulatory scrutiny.
The Telegraph reported on Friday that RedBird Capital — which had initially contributed around 25% of the funding for the RedBird IMI venture that previously held the title — is now taking direct control. The consortium is also expected to include prominent British media investors.
The move comes after RedBird IMI, a joint venture backed by Abu Dhabi and led by former CNN chief Jeff Zucker, was compelled to sell its stake due to a UK government ban on foreign state ownership of British newspapers introduced in 2023. The prohibition, driven by national security concerns and fears over political influence, specifically targeted media entities with state-linked foreign funding.
The deal reignites a broader debate in the UK about press independence and foreign influence in domestic media. The Telegraph, known for its strong support of Brexit and its close ties to conservative politics, is widely seen as a pillar of the British media landscape.
While the former Conservative government had enforced a strict ban, the current Labour administration recently announced a more flexible approach, proposing to allow foreign state investors to own up to 15% of British newspaper publishers — a move that may ease the path for future investment partnerships.
Despite the announcement, the Telegraph noted that no final agreements have been signed and that the deal still faces regulatory scrutiny.
“We believe the UK is a great place to invest, and this acquisition is an important part of RedBird’s growing portfolio of media and entertainment companies in the UK,” RedBird Capital founder Gerry Cardinale was quoted as saying.
If approved, the deal would place The Telegraph under majority control of a Western private equity player with growing interests in the global media sector — potentially ending a contentious chapter in the newspaper’s storied history.
