ITV director of acquisitions Jay Kandola is to leave the broadcaster.

Kandola, who joined ITV from Five in November 2005. At the time, ITV's then director of television Simon Shaps said that acquired programming would be "increasingly important... as we expand the ITV family".

It is understood that Kandola's departure is part of ITV's cost-cutting plan that has seen it cut hundreds of jobs and slash its programming budget, with the acquisitions department being folded into the broadcaster's digital channels division. A spokesperson said that acquisitions would now have a "lesser role" in ITV's programming mix.