The Murdoch brothers have held secret talks with Ofcom in a bid to persuade the regulator to wave through 21st Century Fox’s planned £11.7bn takeover of Sky.

It is understood that Sharon White, chief executive of Ofcom, has met James and Lachlan Murdoch in London in the last week to discuss the proposed deal. Rupert Murdoch, their father, was not present.

Both sides have sought to keep the meeting out of the public eye amid swirling political controversy.

Fox has made a bid for Sky six years after an earlier takeover attempt under the News Corp banner failed as the phone hacking scandal engulfed the Murdoch family’s British newspaper group. This time, James, Fox chief executive, and Lachlan, joint chairman with their father, have eschewed political lobbying and public arguments over the proposed deal.

Their meeting with Ms White is part of normal scrutiny procedures but comes with the Murdoch family facing new questions over behaviour at their companies.

Ofcom is conducting an in-depth review of the effect full Fox control could have on Sky and the British media. The Murdoch family’s television and film holding company currently owns 39pc of Britain’s biggest pay-TV operator.

The review includes a public interest assessment of Fox’s record on broadcasting standards. Ofcom is also looking at how full Murdoch ownership of Sky could reduce media plurality. Fox has argued that Sky’s good record of compliance with on-air rules and the rise of the internet mean there should be no objections on these grounds.