ITV reports drop in advertising revenues as Brexit uncertainity continues

Broadcaster ITV has reported a 7 per cent drop in advertising revenues for the first quarter after being hit by the timing of Easter and amid ongoing Brexit uncertainty.

The group said it now expects total ITV advertising to be down 6 per cent over the first half.

Carolyn McCall, chief executive of ITV, said: “ITV’s performance in the first three months was very much as we expected.”

She added: “We remain confident that we will deliver good organic revenue growth in ITV Studios over the full year and have already secured over £120m more revenue for 2019 than at the same time last year.

“We have a solid slate of new and returning programmes in the UK and internationally including Snowpiercer, World On Fire, Line of Duty - this year’s most watched programme in the UK - Zero Zero Zero, Hell’s Kitchen, Love Island and I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!”