The BBC has reported that the BBC Trust said forecasts on which the original £132m deal was based were “too aggressive” and its estimated earnings before tax were “highly optimistic”.

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, acquired a 75 percent stake in the guide in 2007 and completed the purchase four years later, added the report.

BBC Trust’s report added that BBC Worldwide lacked mechanisms to prevent it from over-paying, and the task of taking the Lonely Planet business online and to TV was under-estimated, added the BBC.