Apple is considering buying out the massively popular US video on demand service Hulu, with a deal worth more than $2 billion on the cards according to a Bloomberg report.

The report cites "two people with knowledge of the auction" who we think are distant cousins of our old friends "people familiar with the matter". They're certainly naughty people, that's for sure - as the report states that they are people who "weren’t authorised to speak publicly". So nobody tell Mr Jobs, okay?

The Hulu takeover rumour mill has been heating up nicely as of late, with reports that Google, Yahoo and Microsoft were all interested in the streaming platform after it allegedly starting tarting itself up and fluttering its eye-lashes following a bid from an unknown company in June.

The price, $2 billion, would be small change to the Cupertino company who has just recorded whopping figures in its latest earnings call and who has $76.2 billion burning a hole in its pocket, waiting to be spent.

The deal would make sense because it would see Apple TV becoming more than just a "hobby" and would strengthen iTunes in terms of video as well as preparing Apple for that inevitable big push into the living room.

Recent reports suggested that Hulu had also promised buyers five years of access of content from its current owners Disney, News Corp and NBC Universal including a two-year period of exclusivity, so there would be plenty of programming available to Apple - and a bumper audience for Hulu's advertisers.

We'll be watching this one with a close eye...