Sky announces production partnership with HBO, adds 4K Test Series to UHD offering

Over 100,000 new customers joined Sky in Q3, according to new financials released by Sky. The company now boasts 22.4 million customers. Sky Q is in over 1 million homes.

This summer. Sky Q users will have the option to record six and watch a seventh TV show. Sky has also added a third sport to its Ultra HD line-up, with the England/South Africa Test series cricket joining football and F1.

Sky’s European partners are also on the up, with year on year profit growth in Italy (+£64 million), Germany and Austria (+£43 million).  

The company has also announced a $250 million multi-year production partnership with HBO, which will oversee a development slate of high-end drama series. The focus will “feature engaging stories with international points of view and casting.”   

The aim is to greenlight at least two drama projects per year, with shows coming to screen in 2018. The first projects of the partnership are now in development, with announcements expected shortly.

Sky and HBO say they’re open to pitches from the creative community in both the US and Europe.

Sky is also developing a cross platform VR experience with  Sir David Attenborough. Going into production later this year, users will be able to virtually visit the Natural History Museum, with Sir David Attenborough as their guide.

“It's been another strong quarter for Sky, despite this being our seasonally quietest period,” says Jeremy Darroch, Group CEO of Sky. “We continue to perform well, attracting another 106,000 customers across the Group in the quarter, taking growth to 769,000 over the last 12 months. We have delivered strong revenue growth of 11 per cent and are on track financially with operating profit for the nine months exceeding £1 billion.”