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Mobile firm in Daily Sport takeover bid

By PA Mediapoint

The Daily and Sunday Sport could soon be listed on the UK stock market as part of the group’s proposed £60 million sale to a firm specialising in delivering adult content to mobile phones.

Interactive World confirmed it is in “advanced discussions” with the newspaper group, famed for its sensationalist stories and daily “nipple count”.

The reverse takeover, which is expected to be concluded within four to six weeks, means the newspapers will be listed as part of Interactive World, which is a publicly-listed company on the junior AIM stock market.

The two companies already have close ties as the Sport’s co-owner, David Sullivan, has a 49.95 per cent stake in Interactive World.

Interactive, which specialises in selling downloadable adult material to mobile phones, also has a five-year rolling relationship with the Sport.

The papers provide Interactive with a stream of customers for its services through advertising and editorial, according to a company report which describes the link-up as “an essential element” of its success.

Mr Sullivan, listed by the Sunday Times as the 127th richest person in the UK, would retain an interest in the papers through his share in Interactive.

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The Daily and Sunday Sport’s alternative take on news has seen front page “exclusives” such as “Statue of Elvis Found on Mars”, “Donkey Robs Bank” and “Bus Found Buried at South Pole”.

Sullivan co-owns the newspaper group with David and Ralph Gold, who also own high street sex shop Ann Summers.

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