Media bankers and analysts have played down the chances of ITV Digital, the troubled UK broadcasting firm, being sold off by its owners Carlton and Granada - largely because of a lack of potential buyers.

ITV Digital is jointly owned by UK media groups Carlton and Granada, and is on the verge of collapse. Deloitte & Touche was hired several weeks ago to try to salvage ITV Digital, which is fighting with the Football League over money owed for rights to screen football matches. This week Deloitte & Touche said it was talking to the Independent Television Commission, the regulator, about selling the beleaguered company, and has said there are a number of interested parties. If a sale fails to materialise, which many bankers are predicting, ITV Digital will liquidate.