ZPG, owner of comparison site uSwitch, has issued a statement confirming that it has tried to do a deal with rival GoCompare – the comparison website whose TV adverts are fronted by big-moustachioed tenor Gio Compario, in reality the incomparable Wynne Evans.

The bid, said to have been worth £460m, was rejected.

Sir Peter Wood, chairman of GoCompare, said ZPG’s bid “was highly opportunistic and fundamentally under-values the company and its prospects”.

The ZPG statement yesterday said: “ZPG Plc notes the recent press speculation regarding a potential offer for GoCompare Group plc by ZPG.

“ZPG confirms that it made an approach to GoCompare on 8 November in relation to a combination of the two businesses and that the approach was rejected.

“The Board of ZPG is currently considering its position.

“This announcement does not amount to a firm intention to make an offer under Rule 2.7 of the Code and there can be no certainty that any firm offer for GoCompare will be made, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made.

“In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, ZPG is required, by no later than 5.00 pm on 12 December 2017, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for GoCompare in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer for GoCompare, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies.

“This deadline can only be extended with the consent of the Takeover Panel at the request of the Board of GoCompare in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.

“A further announcement will be made as and when appropriate.”

uSwitch information on a property’s likely utility costs is featured on Zoopla’s property listings.