James Nesbitt, Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters all coming to Sky 1 next year in two new Sky Original Productions

Get ready for action packed drama on Sky 1 next year with a third series of Stan Lee’s Lucky Man and new series Bulletproof.

James Nesbitt will be back on our screens as luck-controlling Detective Inspector Clayton in a third instalment of Stan Lee's Lucky Man, while BAFTA winning Noel Clarke (Adulthood and Kidulthood) and award-winning actor and rapper Ashley Walters (Top Boy, So Solid Crew) are teaming up as a detective duo in new police drama Bulletproof.

The two Sky Original Productions are part of Sky 1’s plans to bring viewers British drama, full of action, adventure and incredible characters, featuring some of the UK’s best actors.

Director of Sky 1 Adam MacDonald said: “Stan Lee’s Lucky Man and Bulletproof are exactly the kind of bold drama that Sky 1 viewers love. We’re in for quite the ride in this next chapter of Lucky Man and like the show’s million-strong fan base, I can't wait to see the return of James Nesbitt as Detective Inspector Clayton. With Bulletproof we have an ambitious story and in Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters, we have two fantastic actors to bring our police duo, Bishop and Pike, to life. Both shows are part of a new line up of shows on Sky 1 next year that will keep everyone entertained.”

Lucky Man

Fans couldn’t get enough of the first two series of Stan Lee’s Lucky Man with over one million of them tuning in to each and every episode. The third part of the hit crime drama won’t disappoint as it promises to up the stakes, bringing more thrilling twists and turns across eight new episodes.

In the third chapter of comic book legend Stan Lee's creation, DI Harry Clayton is in Hong Kong, looking for answers about his 'lucky' charm where he comes up against some nasty underworld characters who have their eyes on more than just his bracelet. Joining James Nesbitt are show favourites Amara Karan, returning as DS Suri Chohan, Sienna Guillory as Eve and Stephen Hagan as Rich Clayton. 

James Nesbitt says: “Stan Lee's Lucky Man is such an exciting series to make and the scripts for this season are brilliant. Harry Clayton’s luck is running out which throws up some interesting storylines. And also takes him, and me, to Hong Kong - the perfect setting for Stan Lee mayhem!”

Based on an idea from world-renowned comic book writer Stan Lee and POW! Entertainment, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man is produced by Carnival Films, the multi-award winning makers of Downton Abbey, The Last Kingdom and recent Sky 1 success, Jamestown. The series is distributed by NBCUniversal International Distribution. Richard Fell and Gareth Neame will Executive Produce for Carnival Films.

Bulletproof

In their first series for Sky 1, Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters star in Bulletproof as police duo, Bishop and Pike - two best mates, bonded by the same moral code despite their very obvious differences. Packed full of humour, action and emotion, the show centres on the relationships between fathers and sons and is about friendship, conspiracies and ghosts from the past. 

Growing up Bishop (Clarke) and Pike (Walters) had very different lives. Pike’s dad was the first black police commissioner and he grew up always trying to live up to his expectations, while Bishop grew up looking for a father figure as he was passed around foster homes, moving from school to school.

Their pasts have shaped their different approaches to life, and yet they have a love and respect for each other that seems unbreakable. Their friendship is yet to be properly tested until now...

Star and co-creator Noel Clarke said: "I’m ecstatic that the show Ashley, myself and Nick created is here. We’ve worked many years in the industry, but never all together. We've grown and evolved as artists and this will be a series that fans and non-fans alike will be drawn to. Enjoy the ride!”

Ashley Walters said: "I am really excited to be working with Noel and Nick on this project. I have been inspired by both of them for years and collaborating with them on this will produce something amazing. Years in the making but finally here !!! #alwayswinning”

Writer, director and executive producer Nick Love said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be making my first TV series for Sky 1 which is going to be full of action, heart and characters you will fall in love with. I am raring to go!”

Bulletproof is produced by Vertigo Films, the makers of The Football Factory, Monsters, The Sweeney as well as the upcoming Sky Original Production series Britannia; and Company Pictures (The White Princess, Wolf Hall, George Gently). It is created by Noel Clarke, Ashley Walters and Nick Love (The Football Factory). International distribution is to be handled by Sky Vision. Executive Producers are Allan Niblo, Michele Buck and Judy Counihan and the producer is Jon Finn.

Stan Lee’s Lucky Man 3 and Bulletproof start filming next month and will be available only on Sky 1 and TV streaming service NOW TV in the UK and Ireland in 2018.

Both Stan Lee’s Lucky Man and Bulletproof were commissioned by director of Sky 1, Adam MacDonald, Sky’s head of drama, Anne Mensah and Sky’s drama commissioning editor, Cameron Roach.

For more information please contact:

Alex Henderson

PR Manager

alex.henderson@sky.uk

Notes to editors

About Sky

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 22.5 million customers across five countries - UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. From exclusive partnerships with HBO and Showtime, to Sky’s own original programming, Sky offers the best and broadest range of content along with the best viewing experience to suit each and every customer. For more information visit www.sky.com/corporate.

About NOW TV

NOW TV is a pick and mix TV streaming service that lets you choose from a range of passes contract free. Available anytime, anywhere, you can watch through a NOW TV Box, on the web or on over 60 devices with the NOW TV app.

Whether you’re into big dramas, blockbuster movies, live sports or even just some extra TV for the kids, NOW TV offers four passes which include the latest and best TV and movies: Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Kids and Sky Sports. This includes Sky Atlantic, over 250 Box Sets on demand, all 10 Sky Sports channels and over 1,000 movies – all available with no contract.

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About Sky Vision

Sky Vision is the production and distribution arm of Sky. The distribution arm represents around 5,000 hours of quality primetime programming from Sky Original Productions and independent third party production, across all key primetime genres (drama, entertainment, factual entertainment and factual). The business also has equity investments in seven production businesses in the UK and US; Love Productions, Blast! Films, Sugar Films and Sky Vision Productions in the UK; and in the US, Jupiter Entertainment, Talos Films and Znak & Co.  

In addition to its equity investments, Sky Vision works extensively with independent producers in the UK and US and has development deals with a number of production companies including Asylum Entertainment and Peacock Alley in North America; and Avanti Media, Bohemia, Chalkboard, LittleRock Pictures, Merman Films, Spring Films, and Roughcut TV in the UK.

About Vertigo Films

Vertigo Films is a UK Film and Distribution company founded in 2002 by Allan Niblo and James Richardson. The following year Rupert Preston and Nick Love joined and became partners. The company’s mission is to create and distribute commercially driven independent cinema and since inception it has produced 28 films and distributed a further 35. The Films span a range of genres and audience taste and include the box office smash hit Streetdance 3D, the biggest independent UK DVD of all time The Football Factory, the multi award winning Monsters, Vertigo co-production Ajami (nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film), smash hit family film Horrid Henry The Movie, audience favourite The Sweeney, and the hottest director of the moment, Nicolas Winding Refn's first English-language film, Bronson.

About Carnival Films

Carnival Films is a division of NBCUniversal International Studios and one of the UK’s leading drama specialists. The company is responsible for the global television phenomenon Downton Abbey and current primetime series such as The Last Kingdom, a co-production with Netflix for the BBC, and Sky 1’s Jamestown. Other shows produced over Carnival’s history include Poirot, Hotel Babylon, Whitechapel and Dracula as well as award-winning mini-series such as Traffik, Any Human Heart, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies and The Hollow Crown anthology. Carnival has received a host of national and international awards including Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes and BAFTAs and has been recognized as the UK’s best production company at both the Bulldog Awards and Broadcast Awards.