The European Commission is anticipated to clear the deal, with a decision due by early July, contrasting with the UK government’s potential intervention.

The UK culture secretary said she is minded to intervene in Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery's $110 billion merger, triggering scrutiny from Ofcom and the CMA as the deal nears completion.

Paramount expects the deal to close in the third quarter of the year, with integration discussions ongoing for months.

If the merger goes ahead in the UK, the combined group would own Channel 5 and TNT Sports, reshaping the UK media landscape and service offerings.

The deal would create one of the world's largest media giants by uniting Warner Bros Discovery's networks (including CNN), HBO Max, DC Studios, and titles like Harry Potter with Paramount's CBS assets.

Paramount has already cleared several regulatory hurdles, including U.S. approval from the Justice Department without concessions in June.

The story is developing and will be updated as new information emerges.

Paramount rejects concerns about media plurality, says the deal won’t delay closing and remains confident in a Q3 2026 completion timeline.

Paramount also stated it does not anticipate UK media plurality issues and stands by its timeline for the transaction.

EU antitrust regulators are reviewing the deal, with Paramount expected to offer remedies to address competition concerns as a path to EU approval.