Lynton in talks with British TV service amid Sony departure

Outgoing Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton just can’t let go of the TV business. Our transatlantic tattlers say Lynton has been holding talks with British TV service Channel Four, which is run by the UK government.

The current boss, David Abraham, announced he was stepping down in March. He’s run the service, which just lured “The Great British Bake-Off” from the BBC, for the past seven years.

This wouldn’t be the first time Lynton has been pushing for a top gig at the British broadcaster. Back in 2001, he was considered a candidate alongside then-BBC TV chief Mark Thompson, who has moved on to run the New York Times Co.

Lynton was also in the mix for the director-general of the BBC post, which went to Greg Dyke.

Lynton is leaving Sony after a rocky period. The company found itself in the midst of one of the worst corporate hacking attacks after it planned to release the Seth Rogen movie “The Interview” about the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. More recently, the company’s film unit reported an almost billion-dollar write-down.

Lynton is currently the Chairman of Snap Inc., which owns Snapchat. He had been an early investor.