Good news for fans of TruTV UK – Turner’s free-to-air channel has been saved from the brink of closure by a surprise buy-out by Sony Pictures Television.

The channel launched in 2014 on Freeview, Freesat, Sky and Virgin airing a mix of true crime and US reality shows, but despite acquiring top-rated shows such as America’s Got Talent, Ink Master and talk show Conan, it has struggled to win viewers in a competitive market. Turner had been seeking a buyer since announcing the channel might have to close last December.

Although it’s fairly unusual for a US media giant to take on channels from a rival, Kate Marsh, ‎Sony Pictures Television’s Executive Vice President, Western Europe, International Networks, said the acquisition would be, “a great complement to our portfolio.”