Sky to air definitive portrait of ®F1 champion Damon Hill

Sky have today announced the acquisition of Sky Exclusive documentary film, Hill, coming to Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW later this year.

The 90-minute film – featuring exclusive, intimate interviews with Damon and his family – tells how he overcame the adversity of losing his legendary father Graham Hill to follow in his footsteps and become a world champion himself.

The emotional doc, set against the backdrop of the fastest sport in the world, reveals the inside story of how Damon fought a furious battle with one of the greatest of all time Michael Schumacher, and dealt with the death of another iconic driver, Ayrton Senna, his team-mate at the time, who tragically lost his life aged just 34.

Producer of Hill, and F1 presenter on Sky Sports Simon Lazenby said: “We were in Montreal airport waiting for our flight home following the Canadian Grand Prix in 2018. Over a beer with some friends, Damon and I were talking about sports documentaries we had enjoyed when he reminded us that his story was a pretty good one. Seven years later and here we are, excited about the release of a film that has been a labour of love for all involved. It’s the end of a very long journey that we hope will be worth it for the audience because it really is an incredible story told beautifully by our director Alex Holmes and editor Cinzia Baldessari.”

Damon Hill, F1 World Drivers’ Championship winner and subject of the film said: “Alex, Simon and the team have done a really terrific job of unravelling the tangle of my life and career. It was an unconventional route to the top, but all the more interesting for that, I think. Having watched the film, the overwhelming feeling is one of relief. Not so much that the film is finally complete - seven years after that initial fateful chat with Simon in Canada - but more that I do not have to go through my racing career all over again! It’s exhausting to relive all the dramas and alarming to reflect on all the good luck that I must have had to survive, let alone succeed. Whether my story inspires someone else to become an F1 World Champion, or is an object lesson in how not to do it, I’m not sure. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions!”

Alex Wright, Acquisitions Manager at Sky said “We are delighted to be bringing Hill to audiences in the UK and Ireland on Sky and Now. Damon Hill is a British motorsport icon, and we know our customers will love this powerful and exciting film”.

Hill is directed by BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Alex Holmes (Maiden, The Rig) and produced by Simon Lazenby & Victoria Barrell of Sylver Entertainment (McEnroe, Schmeichel) and Cora Palfrey & Luc Roeg of Independent Entertainment (Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, My Policeman). Sky acquired the rights to the documentary from Signature Entertainment.

Full synopsis:

One Name. Two World Champions. In 1996, Damon Hill claimed the ®Formula 1 World Championship. In doing so he cemented his place in motorsport history, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Graham Hill. Hill is a unique family story set against the backdrop of the fastest sport in the world. How Damon Hill defied the odds and overcame tragedy to step out of his father’s shadow and become a racing legend in his own right.

For more information contact:
Annabel.baring@sky.uk

Ellis.ritchie@sky.uk