BSkyB is slashing the price of its high definition set-top TV box in a bid to take advantage of the “significant opportunity” emerging in HD, as it reported interim results ahead of expectations.

The broadcaster said on Wednesday it was cutting the sale of its Sky+HD box from £150 to £49 in an effort to capitalise on a growing appetite for high definition products, and said it planned to create around 1,000 jobs to prepare for further increased demand.