The Liverpool production company famous for making Grange Hill and Hollyoaks could be bought by ITV as part of wider deal.
The broadcaster has revealed it is "actively exploring" the acquisition of All3Media, the producer of Gogglebox and The Traitors.
Lime Pictures was founded by Sir Phil Redmond and is also known for making soap opera Brookside for Channel 4.
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Sir Phil started the business in the early 1980s as Mersey Television and it was later acquired by All3Media in 2005.
The company has also produced Celebs Go Dating for E4, Free Rain for Netflix as well as The Only Way is Essex and Geordie Shore. The business also has bases in London, Los Angeles and Leeds.
All3Media comprises 40 production and distribution companies and is owned by Warner Bros Discovery and Liberty Global.
In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, ITV said: "ITV plc notes the recent media speculation and confirms that it is actively exploring the possible acquisition of All3Media.
"There can be no certainty as to whether any transaction will take place, nor as to the terms of any such transaction.
"A further announcement will be made if and when appropriate."
According to its most recent financial accounts, Lime Pictures achieved a turnover of £63.3m and pre-tax profits of £5.2m in 2021, up from £50.8m and £3.2m in 2020.
Those figures compare to a turnover of £69.5m and pre-tax profits of £5.7m it reported in 2019.
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