Goliath Slayer Targets Sky in £2 Billion UK Class Action
Press Release, London, September 2 2025
Consumer rights litigant Marc John has notified the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) of plans to launch a landmark £2 billion opt-out collective proceedings claim against Sky UK Limited, owned by US media giant Comcast.
The proposed claim focuses on Sky's alleged failure to issue end-of-contract notifications (ECNs) to millions of UK satellite pay-TV customers from late March 2020, as required by Ofcom. John contends this kept millions paying higher "rollover" prices after contracts ended, reducing their ability to switch and harming competition.
Following Ofcom's August 2022 decision that Sky breached its ECN obligations, Sky unsuccessfully challenged the ruling in the CAT. Sky's subsequent Court of Appeal challenge was dismissed in August 2025. John began tracking the ECN issue in 2021 during a subscription dispute with Sky after learning of Ofcom's investigation.
"With the Court of Appeal judgment now public, the time feels right to make this announcement," said John. "I don't think it matters if Sky appeals again. I'm alleging abuse of dominance, which goes beyond Ofcom's regulatory decision. I hope to seek compensation for millions of Sky customers.”
Opt-out claims mean the people affected are automatically included unless they opt-out. The claim costs them nothing and, if successful, compensation is shared among the class, with people notified about how to claim their money.
In a UK collective action first, the proposed claim is being fronted by a litigant-in-person (LiP), with John acting as the Proposed Class Representative (PCR) without third-party litigation funding. Rule 8(b) of CAT Rules 2015 permits claims brought by a LiP, and John says adverse costs protection is not currently a concern.
John, 54, a broadcast media specialist and former Odeon Cinemas executive, made global headlines in 2018 by defeating Lucasfilm (owned by Disney) in a David v Goliath High Court showdown. He has successfully battled numerous corporates as a self-represented claimant since 2019. He has notified the CAT of his intention to use a single-purpose limited company, requiring its permission to self-represent a corporate body under CAT Guide sections 9.39 and 9.42, before making an application for a collective proceedings order.
John says he has had discussions with interested law firms and funders, but the claim is not funder-dependent.
"Usually, opt-out claims are engineered by lawyers who recruit academics to act as class representatives on a fee-paid basis, with litigation funding agreements covering massive legal budgets," said John. “I think those costs are wildly disproportionate and put consumer interest at risk. These claims should be genuine grassroots consumer-led initiatives. I believe this claim, if certified, will mark the first time an opt-out claim has been developed by a consumer advocate rather than by lawyers pursuing a commercial opportunity.”
He doesn't rule out pro bono schemes or other assistance, but hopes to set a precedent by showing that defendants can be held accountable in a more accessible, efficient, and proportionate way.
“The CAT would need to approve any recompense I would seek from a successful outcome as the class representative,” said John. “And would ensure it is just and reasonable.”
John plans to innovate using AI agents to answer class member queries and by introducing the first ever class action mascot, Mervin the Monkey – a fully animated fictional character created by John who greets visitors on his Believe In Justice website with punchy explainer videos.
"People are busy and often can't spend thirty minutes on a claim website grappling with jargon,” said John. “You probably need to convey the basics in sixty seconds or less, using audio-visual tools that do not require people to wade through endless text. More imaginative and engaging tools will better inform and mobilise the class, potentially boosting participation in any eventual monetary distribution."