±±¾©Èü³µpk10

Moore joins a growing number of bidders lining up to make a play for the Telegraph Group, which owns the Daily and Sunday Telegraph in the UK.

It is not known which venture capital firm is backing Moore, but a number are thought to be interested.

However, the sale of the group has yet to be confirmed. Speculation of a sale emerged after Hollinger was plunged into scandal last month when it was revealed that chairman and chief executive Lord Conrad Black and several other board members had received unauthorised payments totalling $32.15m (£19m). Black personally received $7.2m, and along with other executives has promised to repay the sum.

On Friday it was revealed that the Daily Mail & General Trust had called in merchant bank Merrill Lynch to advise it on any possible takeover of the Telegraph Group, which is likely to attract a price tag of around £400m.

As well as Moore and DMGT other known bidders include Express Newspapers proprietor Richard Desmond, former Mirror Group chief executive David Montgomery, outgoing Carlton chairman Michael Green, the Barclay brothers, and former Telegraph Group managing director Stephen Grabiner.

Michael Ashcroft, the former Conservative Party treasurer, and US tycoon Nelson Peltz are also seen as potential bidders.

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .