In The Long Run set to return to Sky One on 22 July

Sky original comedy In The Long Run will make a welcome return to Sky One and streaming service NOW TV for a third series, transporting us back to 1980s East London – the decade of shell-suits and turtlenecks. All episodes of the third instalment will be available to watch from 22 July.

Creator and executive producer Idris Elba is back on our screens as Walter Easmon, alongside wife Agnes (Madeline Appiah), younger brother Valentine (Jimmy Akingbola) and making her debut this series, Walter’s mum (Ellen Thomas). Bill Bailey returns as Bagpipes with wife Kirsty (Kellie Shirley), work colleague Rajesh (Neil D’Souza) and Kobna (Sammy Kamara) back on the decks.

Idris Elba said: “Nothing beats a funny story from someone who was there! I can’t wait for viewers to see series three.”

The third series of this semi-autobiographical Sky One comedy, loosely based on Idris’ own childhood, sees the welcome arrival of Walter’s mum from Sierra Leone with Walter desperate to impress. Bagpipes has a near death experience that makes him question the meaning of life. Valentine finally finds love and Kirsty sets up her own catering business all while Agnes gets suspicious as some developers start taking an interest in the Eastbridge Estate, threatening the very existence of the community.

Jon Mountague, Director of Comedy, Sky Studios, said: “Our chests are puffed out with pride for the return of Idris Elba’s award-winning ‘In The Long Run’. Chapter 3 has more LoLs than ever and as we’ve come to expect, is shot through with family, community and togetherness.”

In The Long Run is executive produced by Golden Globe and SAG winning Idris Elba for Green Door Pictures and Gina Carter for Sprout Pictures, also with Ana Garanito at Green Door as Associate Producer. Produced by Alex Walsh-Taylor, the six-part series is directed by Sandy Johnson and Ian Aryeh and written by Grace Ofori-Attah, Fraser Ayres, Shivani Vijayapalan and Jon Macqueen. The series was commissioned for Sky by commissioning editor Tilusha Ghelani and Director of Comedy, Sky Studios Jon Mountague, forming part of Sky’s raft of original British comedy. In The Long Run is distributed internationally by NBCUniversal Global Distribution on behalf of Sky Studios.

Series 1, 2 and the Christmas Special of In The Long Run are available now to watch on Sky and NOW TV.

Show imagery can be found on SEAC here: https://seac.bskyb.com/

For further information, please contact:

Hannah.Harris-Turner@premiercomms.com

Calum.McGarry@premiercomms.com

About Sky

With 24 million customers across seven countries, Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. Our 32,000 employees help connect our customers to the very best entertainment, sports, news, arts and to our own local, original content.

Following the success of Sky originals like Chernobyl, we plan to double our investment in original content by 2024. We’re also developing a new TV and movie studio, Sky Studios Elstree, which is expected to lead to the creation of over 2,000 new jobs and generate an additional £3 billion of production investment in UK creative sector in the first five years alone.

Our technology allows customers to watch what they want, when they want, how they want, and as we connect millions of families to content they love, we believe it is our responsibility to do it safely. That’s why we offer services like Sky Broadband Buddy and the Sky Kids app. And our online streaming service, NOW TV, brings viewers all the enjoyment of Sky with the flexibility of a contract-free service.

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About NOW TV

NOW TV is a leading UK streaming service, giving you the best TV, box sets, movies, sports and kids entertainment whenever, and wherever, you want it. Pick from the range of content passes including Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Sky Sports, Kids and reality TV with hayu.

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About Sky Studios

Sky Studios brings to screen unique stories from the very best talent in Europe.

We develop, produce and fund original drama, comedy and documentary for Sky’s 24m customers and beyond, with 52 scripted shows already in production. Building on the success of critically-acclaimed Sky originals including Emmy-winning Chernobyl, Bafta-winning Patrick Melrose and international hits Babylon Berlin and Riviera, Sky Studios is the new creative home of Sky originals, such as The Third Day with Jude Law, ZeroZeroZero from the makers of Gomorrah and The New Pope directed by Academy Award-winning director Paolo Sorrentino.

We’re an agile Studio, seeking out the best untold stories from new voices while working in creative partnership with today’s best writers, producers and on-screen talent to bring viewers stories they wouldn’t find anywhere else.

With commissioning talent and production capability across the UK, Germany and Italy, we understand local tastes across Europe better than anyone else and have plans to more than double our investment in original content by 2024, fully supported and backed by Comcast NBC Universal.

We’re also developing a new TV and movie studio, Sky Studios Elstree, which is expected to lead to the creation of over 2,000 new jobs and generate an additional £3 billion of production investment in UK creative sector in the first five years alone.

Sky Studios invests in the cultural economy and global production sector with equity stakes in nine production companies in the UK and the US, including Great British Bake-Off creator Love Productions, and the premiere reality crime producer in the US, Jupiter Entertainment, creator of long-running hit Snapped. Sky Studios has invested in high quality factual specialists Blast Films and True North Productions; entertainment and format expert Znak & Co (US & UK); natural history producer True to Nature; drama producers The Lighthouse and Longboat; and growth businesses Sugar Films, Chrysalis Vision, and Talos Films (US).

Sky Studios launched in June 2019. The senior leadership team is Chief Executive Officer Gary Davey, Chief Commercial Officer Jane Millichip, Chief Finance Officer Caroline Cooper, Director of Drama UK Cameron Roach, Director of Comedy UK Jon Mountague, Director Original Production Sky Italia Nils Hartmann, and Director Original Productions Sky Deutschland Marcus Ammon.