Gerry Murphy, CEO of Carlton Comms, has said that he is looking at "all options" to keep ITV Digital from closure.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Murphy said: "I absolutely deny that closure is imminent. This is a complex business with lots of moving parts. We will update the market on Thursday on progress in the business. All options are being looked at. This is a long game - Sky was not built in a day."

An unnamed senior executive at the struggling operator said: "We are prepared to exit ITV Digital if it makes sense to do so. But it is facile to talk simply about closing the business.

"We could run it down but we could also mothball it until conditions are better, or we could look for a partnership with other pay-television businesses. All options are under consideration and we have open minds on this. The idea that you could simply lock the door and throw away the key is simplistic rubbish."

Meanwhile, Thomas Middelhoff, CEO of Germany's Bertelsmann, has admitted that he is interested in acquiring a large British television company.

"Britain is a crucial market," he said. "As far as television advertising is concerned it is the biggest market in Europe."

His long-term strategy is to move into the US market; but gaining foothold in Britain would be a good stepping stone. "We are definitely interested in the US market and I believe the language and synergies of this market [Britain] would help with that ambition," he continued.

"Bertelsmann is more or less debt free, so we can act immediately."