AWARD-WINNING TALENT BEHIND CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND HORRIBLE HISTORIES TO CREATE TWO BRAND NEW COMEDIES FOR SKY

22^nd March, 2013 (London) Sky is to build on the success and momentum of original comedy with three new series which will be available to customers in 2014.  The first of two brand new commissions is Mr Sloane, which will be written and directed by Robert B. Weide, theEmmy award-winning director and producer of Curb Your Enthusiasm.  The second new series, Yonderland, brings together the BAFTA-winning team behind Horrible Histories, who will make their first show for Sky.  And thirdly the critically acclaimed Moone Boy has been re-commissioned for a third series, with its writer and star Chris O’Dowd set to make his directorial debut.

These comedy commissions are part of Sky’s commitment to increase its investment in original British and Irish content and builds on the successful comedy strand developed over the last two years.  Recent highlights have included the BAFTA-nominated Stella, the RTS award-winning Alan Partridge: Welcome To The Places Of My Life, the British Comedy Award-winning Hunderby, the critically acclaimed A Young Doctor’s Notebook as well as popular returning series such as Mount Pleasant and Trollied.

Mr Sloane, written and directed by Weide, and starring Nick Frost (Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) as Jeremy Sloane, a button-down 1960’s man in crisis.  Between his failed attempts at marriage, career success and even suicide, it’s fair to say that 1969 isn’t shaping up to be Watford-dweller MR SLOANE’s year.  But with a potential job opportunity on the horizon and the phone number of a prospective new love interest following a chance encounter in his local hardware store, could Mr Sloane’s luck be about to change?

The bittersweet romantic comedy represents the first original project for British television for multi-award winning writer, director and producer Weide, whose credits include HBO’s longest-running, widely acclaimed comedy CurbYour Enthusiasm, the Emmy Award nominated Woody Allen: A Documentary and Academy Award® nominated Lenny Bruce: Swear To Tell The Truth.  Mr Sloane will air on Sky Atlantic in 2014.

“Nick is not only a very funny guy, but a very talented actor,” comments Weide. “I had no specific agenda to create a show for him, but out of the blue, an idea came to me that was entirely character-driven, and I immediately saw Nick as that character. I pitched it to him, and he said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

Yonderland  sees the BAFTA award-winning team behind Horrible Histories arrive on Sky 1 for the first time. The show follows a 33-year-old mum who unexpectedly finds herself in an extraordinary world.

Matthew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond will all write and star in the series, which will also feature puppetry sequences from Baker Coogan, long-time collaborators with the Jim Henson Company.

“This brilliant team have created a really fresh, bold and original show,” comments Juliette Howell, Head of Television at Working Title Television. “We’re thrilled that it’s going to form part of Sky’s ambitious comedy output.”

Moone Boy is alsoset to return for its third series on Sky 1. The serieswill be filmed later this year, picking up the story of the imaginative Martin Moone (David Rawle) as he grows up in rural Ireland. Written by Nick Vincent Murphy and Chris O’Dowd, the latter will also make his directorial debut with season 3. Honoured earlier this year with an IFTA Award, and filmed in Boyle, Ireland, the second series will launch on Sky 1 this autumn.

Sky’s Head of Comedy, Lucy Lumsden, comments: “Since launching Sky’s push into comedy in 2010 across our four entertainment channels, the genre has flourished under our investment establishing Sky firmly within the television comedy landscape. The outstanding talent at the heart of these series demonstrates the range and ambition of our output and our continued commitment to the genre.”

In the space of three years, Sky’s comedy output has grown to incorporate six strong returning series on Sky 1 alone, alongside popular series and programmes on Sky Living, Sky Atlantic and Sky Arts. Sky’s established comedy series, as well as new projects such as Mr Sloane and Yonderland, sit alongside the raft of drama, entertainment and factual commissions across the entertainment channels, underlining Sky’s commitment to give customers new, unmissable and exclusive content.

Mr Sloane (1 x 60’, 5 x 30’) is a co-production between Big Talk Productions and Whyaduck Productions. Robert B. Weide will write and direct all six episodes, with Aschlin Ditta (The Catherine Tate Show) and Oliver Lansley (Whites) as co-writers on two episodes.  Production commences in April 2013 for transmission next year.   Yonderland(8 x 30’) will be produced by Working Title.

For further information please contact

Susan Collins - Publicity Manager, Sky 1 HD
T: 020 7032 4243
E: susan.collins@bskyb.com

Megan MacLeod - Publicist, Sky Movies HD, Sky Atlantic HD
T:
E: megan.macleod@bskyb.com

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T:
E: claire.wilson@bskyb.com

Notes to editor

About Sky

 
Sky is the UK and Ireland’s leading home entertainment and communications company. Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.

Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.3 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News.   Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes. More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator. Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.  

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Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts. Sky employs 23,000 people, has annual revenues of £6.8 billion and is estimated to support a £5.4 billion contribution to UK GDP. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY). www.sky.com/corporate