Channel 4's Kevin Lygo 'met with ITV'

Channel 4's director of television and content Kevin Lygo has reportedly held talks with senior ITV executives about heading up the broadcaster's production arm.

ITV's new chief executive Adam Crozier, who officially started his reign today, has made hiring a big name to run ITV Studios his top priority.

According to The Guardian, Lygo recently met Crozier and ITV chairman Archie Norman to discuss the role, but no official offer was extended to him.

Lygo could also face stiff competition for the position from Lorraine Heggessey, chief executive of the RTL-owned production firm Talkback Thames, along with other candidates.

It remains unclear what the appointment of a new creative leader would mean for current managing director of ITV Studios Lee Bartlett.

However, Crozier is thought to believe that bringing new leadership to ITV Studios will help the division develop more successful programming formats for export to foreign markets.

ITV's most successful formats of recent times, Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, are not owned by the broadcaster and so cannot fully leverage their earning potential. Last year, overall revenues at ITV Studios declined 4% year-on-year to £597 million.

Lygo recently lost out on securing the chief executive job at Channel 4 to UKTV boss David Abraham, who starts the new role on May 4.