The proposed £500 million takeover of the Daily Telegraph has collapsed after RedBird Capital Partners formally withdrew its bid, throwing the future of the right-leaning newspaper titles back into crisis.
Deal Unravels After Protracted Scrutiny
RedBird Capital Partners confirmed on Friday, 14 November 2025, that it has abandoned its offer to acquire Telegraph Media Group. A consortium led by RedBird and including the UAE-based investor International Media Investments (IMI) has pulled out of the deal nearly two-and-a-half years after the newspaper's future was first cast into doubt.
The saga began when the Telegraph's lenders seized control from its long-standing proprietors, the Barclay family. RedBird IMI then extended financing which gave it a call option to own the newspapers, but its original proposal was thwarted by political and regulatory objections to foreign state ownership of British national newspapers.
A Revised Structure and Internal Unrest
In an attempt to salvage the acquisition, a new deal was stitched together. This revised structure included funding from Daily Mail owner Lord Rothermere and Sir Leonard Blavatnik, the billionaire owner of sports streaming platform DAZN. Under these terms, Abu Dhabi-based IMI would have taken a 15% stake in Telegraph Media Group.
However, the deal faced significant internal challenges. In recent weeks, RedBird principal Gerry Cardinale had reportedly been angered by reporting from Telegraph journalists which explored links between RedBird and Chinese state influences. This unrest from within the Telegraph newsroom is said to have been one of the main factors in the decision to withdraw the offer.
What Comes Next for the Telegraph?
The collapse of this £500 million bid means the ownership of the Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph is once again unresolved. A further auction of the prestigious titles is now considered likely to take place in the new year.
In a statement, a RedBird Capital Partners spokesman said: "We remain fully confident that the Telegraph and its world-class team have a bright future ahead of them and we will work hard to help secure a solution which is in the best interests of employees and readers." The search for a new owner for one of Britain's most influential newspapers continues.
