Stephen Merchant’s Hello Ladies and second series of Armsuranne Jones, Anna Friel, Sophie Rundle and Russell Tovey join Sky Living HD’s newsSeason of original British Dramaando Iannucci’s Veep to debut on Sky Atlantic HD this Autumn
London, 28th June 2013: Sky Living HD is set to welcome a raft of well-known faces to the channel this autumn as further casting is confirmed for the channel’s upcoming season of 5 x 60 drama pilots.
Written by some of Britain’s best known and critically-acclaimed screenwriters, the new season ‘Drama Matters’, (formerly called Reckless), is a celebration of diverse, bold and compelling characters each with their own story to tell. This distinctive collection of original films will sit at the heart of the channel’s 2013 autumn programming schedule.
Suranne Jones, Anna Friel, Russell Tovey, Sophie Rundle and Freema Agyeman and are amongst the names announced today, alongside the final two titles which now complete the season’s line up – these are ‘Lawless’ by Jacquetta May (Torchwood, No Angels) from Twenty Twenty (a Shed Media Group company) and ‘The Psychopath Next Door’ by Julie Rutterford (Shameless, Ashes to Ashes, Trollied), from ITV Studios.
Channel Director Antonia Hurford-Jones commented“It’s fantastic to be welcoming this incredible line up of talent to the channel – both in front of and behind the camera. I’m really proud of ‘Drama Matters’, each story is unique but together they form a strand of engaging, entertaining quality drama which I think our customers will really enjoy.”
From the cells in the basement to the judge’s chambers, Lawless offers a backstage pass into the inner workings of a modern court as Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey, A Touch of Cloth) stars as a brand new judge battling to keep her head above the water in the murky depths of the justice system.This character led tale of corruption also stars Jonathan Cake (Desperate Housewives, The Killing), Chris Coghill (Eastenders, Spike Island) and Lindsay Duncan (GBH, Rome, Doctor Who.)
Anna Friel (Public Enemies, Pushing Daisies, Limitless) takes the lead role in the creepy and intriguing drama, The Psychopath Next Door. Forget what you think you know about your neighbours, this is a funny but tense tale of what happens when real evil moves in next door.
Joining Katherine Kelly and Anne Reid in the previously announced The Last Witch by BAFTA winning writer Sally Wainwright (Last Tango In Halifax, Scott & Bailey) are Gregg Chillin (Da Vinci’s Demons, Being Human), James Thornton (Emmerdale) and Maimie McCoy (Loving Miss Hatto, The Musketeers).This epic and eerie supernatural tale follows the lives of two feuding sisters who, having spent centuries apart are reunited with vengeful and deadly consequences.
Sophie Rundle (The Bletchley Circle, Episodes, Peaky Blinders) takes the lead in ‘Talking to The Dead’, a two part adaptation by Golden Globe Award nominee Gwyneth Hughes’ (The Girl, Five Days, The Mystery of Edwin Drood) of Harry Bingham’s original novel. DC Fiona Griffiths is a young rookie cop with a brilliant mind, a mysterious past and a deep empathy with the dead. But will the secrets in her past prove more deadly than the crimes she investigates? Russell Tovey (Him & Her, Being Human, The Job Lot), Mark Lewis Jones (Stella, Titanic, Troy), Christine Tremarco (Casualty, Good Cop, Waterloo Road), Lois Winstone and Keith Allen also star.
‘Rubenesque’ is an unashamedly cheeky tale of a female football referee whose life takes an interesting turn when, despite a lack enthusiasm for anything other than sport, she finds herself working as plus-size model. Written and directed by Annie Griffin (Fresh Meat, The Book Group, Festival), it stars newcomer and Scottish female international goalkeeper Gemma Fay in the lead role of Shona. Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who, The Carrie Diaries, Law & Order) co-stars alongside Daniela Nardini (This Life, The Fades) and Gabriel Quigley (Him & Her).
The forthcomingseason of new scripted programming demonstrates Sky Living’s commitment to working with leading talent both in front of and behind the camera in a drive to give its customers more high quality original British drama. ‘Drama Matters’ was commissioned by Sky’s Head of Drama, Anne Mensah.
The drama seasonfurther cements Sky’s commitment to increase investment in original British content by 50% in the next three years. By 2014, Sky expects to invest £600 million a year in British programming across its portfolio of channels. This commitment follows the success of home-grown content such as entertainment hits including; Got to Dance, Steps Reunion, dramas Bedlam, Mad Dogs and Treasure Island, and the BAFTA-winning documentary Flying Monsters 3D.
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For further information contact:
Jakki Lewis (The Last Witch, Lawless)
PR Manager, Sky Living
+44 207 032 1494
Elena Kemp (Rubenesque, The Psychopath Next Door)
Senior Publicist, Sky Living
+44 207 032 1495
elena.kemp@bskyb.com
Lesley Land (Talking to the Dead)
PR Manager
+44 207 032 0676
lesley.land@bskyb.com
www.skypressoffice.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter:
@SkyLivingOnline
Notes to editor
“Talking To The Dead” – 2 x 60, written by BAFTA-nominated Gwyneth Hughes –co-produced by Bonafide Films / Warp Films
“Rubenesque” – 1 x 60, written and directed by Annie Griffin – co-produced by Kudos Film & Television Ltd / Pirate Productions
“The Last Witch” – 1 x 60, written by BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright (Scott and Bailey, At Home With The Braithwaites, Last Tango in Halifax), produced by Red Production Company.
ABOUT SKY LIVING
Sky Living is a female skewing channel, with shows that cover a broad range of subjects which are relevant and interesting to our customers. But it’s not just for women; it’s a place which men can enjoy too. The channel embodies engaging storytelling, key characters and intricate relationships in the broader sense of the word. Sky Living offers a place for grown up escapism and is the number one pay channel among women in pay homes.
Following Sky’s recent commitment to investing £600million a year in home-grown programming by 2014 Sky Living recently announced a raft of new original commissions which will see names including; Lorraine Pascale, Naomi Campbell, Emily Mortimer, Dolly Wells and Simon Blackwell join the channel.
Sky Living also remains a proven home for high quality US dramas with shows including; Hannibal, Elementary, Chicago Fire, Bones, Criminal Minds and Grey’s Anatomy and is committed to continually bringing its customers the best of the US. Elementary is the channel’s most successful series to date regularly attracting consolidated audiences of over 1 million.
With its rich mix of US quality drama and original scripted content, Sky Living works with some of the best and brightest talent both on and off screen, bringing its customers the best possible entertainment offering.
Sky Living HD is available on channel 107 cementing its place in Sky’s entertainment portfolio where it sits alongside Sky 1, Sky Atlantic and Sky Arts.
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