Sky reveals first-look trailers for its eagerly anticipated brand new Sky Originals spanning drama, comedy, film and factual

Following Sky’s successful Up Next showcase event at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London last night (May 17), where the broadcaster unveiled an exciting slate of programming to a star-studded line up of British talent, it has released first-look trailers for seven of its upcoming original British series.

These series sit among over 200 Sky Original shows across all genres this year – a 60% increase from 2021 and testament to Sky’s investment in the UK creative economy.

Gangs of London – Series 2
One year after the death of Sean Wallace and the violent reckonings of series one, the map and soul of London has been redrawn. The surviving Wallaces are scattered, the Dumanis broken and estranged, and ex-undercover cop Elliot is now being forced to work for the investors. To restore order, the investors have aligned behind heroin baron Asif Afridi and together they have installed a new ruling force in London in the form of brutal gang leader - Koba. His vision for the criminal landscape is a dictatorship, a world in which old school gangster codes don’t exist and in which he holds a complete monopoly over London’s drug trade. But this monopoly can’t last forever, and the gangs are fighting back - who will win the battle for London’s soul?

The returning ensemble cast includes Sope Dìrísù, Michelle Fairley, Brian Vernel, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Lucian Msamati and Paapa Essiedu.

This England
Co-written and directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring BAFTA® and Academy Award®-winner Kenneth Branagh. This England, based on Boris Johnson’s tumultuous first months as UK Prime Minister, traces the impact on Britain of the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. The drama takes us inside the halls of power, as Johnson (Branagh) grapples with Covid-19, Brexit, and a controversial personal and political life. The events in government are interwoven with stories from around the UK, from the experts and scientists racing against time to understand the virus; the doctors, nurses and care-home workers on the frontline working tirelessly and heroically to contain and overcome it; and ordinary people whose lives were thrown into turmoil.

Funny Woman
Gemma Arterton stars as Barbara Parker - the unstoppable force who takes 1960’s London by storm. Her journey from Blackpool beauty queen to comedy superstar is based on the best-selling novel by Nick Hornby.

Funny Woman is a comedy drama that follows Barbara from working in a Blackpool rock factory to the male dominated world of the 1960s television sitcom where she finally finds her voice. The series written by and starring Morwenna Banks (Slow Horses) also stars Rupert Everett (My Best Friend’s Wedding), David Threlfall (Shameless), Tom Bateman (Behind Her Eyes), Clare-Hope Ashitey (Top Boy), Arsher Ali (Line of Duty), Alexa Davies (White House Farm), Emily Bevan (Temple), Leo Bill (Becoming Elizabeth), Matthew Beard (Vienna Blood), Olivia Williams (The Crown), Rosie Cavaliero (Code 404) and Alistair Petrie (Sex Education).

Brassic – Series 4 
Back for more and fresher than ever, Sky’s biggest original comedy returns with a vengeance for series 4. With all the Brassic gang back in Hawley, things don’t get any easier. Join Vinnie, Erin, Tommo, Dylan, Ashley, JJ, Cardi, Carol, Sugar, farmer Jim, and Dr Chris as they hatch eccentric plans, complete questionable heists and nick some bizarre items. From discovering severed body parts to training racing dogs, then finding unexpected guests and causing mayhem at a murder mystery night, trouble is never far away when Brassic comes to town.

Based on the ‘true-life’ misadventures of Bafta nominated lead actor and co-creator Joe Gilgun, Brassic returns with its signature blend of high comedy and emotional authenticity. Also starring Michelle Keegan, Dominic West, Damien Molony, Tom Hanson, Aaron Heffernan, Ryan Sampson, Parth Thakerar, Bronagh Gallagher, Joanna Higson, and Steve Evets. Co-creator Danny Brocklehurst writes, along with Alex Ganley and Danielle Ward. 

After Yang
After Yang tells the story of a family who lose their A.I helper, and the profound feelings that the experience induces. When his young daughter's beloved companion — an android named Yang (Justin H. Min) — malfunctions, Jake (Colin Farrell) searches for a way to repair him. In the process, Jake discovers the life that has been passing in front of him, reconnecting with his wife (Jodie Turner-Smith) and daughter (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja) across a distance he didn't know was there

The Amazing Maurice
A lively animated adventure based on one of Sir Terry Pratchett’s wildly popular Discworld novels starring Hugh Laurie (Avenue 5), Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), David Thewlis (Wonder Woman), Himesh Patel (Yesterday), Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man) and Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey). Maurice is a streetwise ginger cat who masterminds a money-making scam by befriending a group of talking rats and a human boy, Keith. Going town to town, the rats pretend to infest the town and Keith uses his pipe to lead them away – all for a tidy profit. However, as Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they discover something sinister going down beneath the city’s streets.

Once Upon a Time in Londongrad
Investigative reporter Heid Blake receives a tip on the death of a multi-millionaire property tycoon, leading her to uncover a web of death that entangles Russian oligarchs, 10 Downing Street and Washington, D.C. Ser across Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power, Once Upon a Time in Londongrad charts how the UK became reliant on Russian money and missed opportunities to contain the Kremlin.