Carlton insisted on Sunday that its merger with Granada to create ITV plc is on track.

A spokesman for the company told Reuters on Sunday that the merger process is "moving forward." This comes despite reports in the Financial Mail on Sunday that Carlton is looking for a route out of the merger after its chairman, Michael Green, was shunted out of ITV plc's chairman position on Tuesday. Granada sided with the "substantial body of [shareholder] opinion" to install an outsider instead.

The Mail reported on Sunday, citing "senior City sources," that Carlton is considering finding a way to "break out of the merger" or find an "alternative buyer."