Sky One has held a central place in the bundle of pay-TV provider Sky being its first main offering as it ramped up its entertainment offer, especially with original drama, but the company is to say goodbye to the brand from 1 September.
The channel will be replaced with a new flagship brand, Sky Showcase, while at the same time the company will be launching a further new service, Sky Max. The channels will be available to Sky customers at no extra charge. They will also launch on streaming service NOW and on Virgin and BT.
Explaining the channel shake-up, Sky UK & ROI MD of content, Zai Bennett said: “In this golden age of television, the sheer volume of incredible programming can be overwhelming. Over the last 12 months we’ve been making it easier for people to find what they want to watch. From September those looking for the very best of Sky will find it at the top of their programme guide on Sky Showcase, while Sky Max will become the new home of blockbuster entertainment joining the host of genre-led channels launched in the past year.”
Sky Showcase will comprise a linear-only main event channel that will curate a selection of the top shows from across Sky’s portfolio of entertainment brands. It will air content from Sky Witness, Sky Documentaries, Sky Crime, Sky Nature, Sky Arts, Sky Max, Sky Comedy, Sky History, Sky Kids, SyFy and E!. It will also offer selected highlights from Sky Cinema and Sky Sports. Launch content includes Sky Original drama Wolfe; documentaries such as Hawking and The Bambers: Murder at the Farm; high profile original nature series such as Shark with Steve Backshall, as well as the best of the US including Young Rock and SWAT.
By contrast, brand-new destination Sky Max will be available as a linear channel and on-demand service, and will be the new home for Sky’s blockbuster entertainment, including original dramas and original comedy entertainment. Sky Max’s launch schedule will include shows such as the return of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, The Russell Howard Hour and DC Super Heroes.
Further moves will see Sky Comedy updated so it now becomes the home of Sky Original Comedy including shows such as Code 404 and Hitmen Reloaded, that were previously on Sky One, alongside the Best of US comedy such as The Office US, PEN15 and Miracle Workers. Sky Atlantic will remain the exclusive home of high-concept original dramas such as Landscapers, I Hate Suzie, Gangs of London and Chernobyl, as well as being the home of drama from HBO and Showtime.
Explaining the channel shake-up, Sky UK & ROI MD of content, Zai Bennett said: “In this golden age of television, the sheer volume of incredible programming can be overwhelming. Over the last 12 months we’ve been making it easier for people to find what they want to watch. From September those looking for the very best of Sky will find it at the top of their programme guide on Sky Showcase, while Sky Max will become the new home of blockbuster entertainment joining the host of genre-led channels launched in the past year.”
Sky Showcase will comprise a linear-only main event channel that will curate a selection of the top shows from across Sky’s portfolio of entertainment brands. It will air content from Sky Witness, Sky Documentaries, Sky Crime, Sky Nature, Sky Arts, Sky Max, Sky Comedy, Sky History, Sky Kids, SyFy and E!. It will also offer selected highlights from Sky Cinema and Sky Sports. Launch content includes Sky Original drama Wolfe; documentaries such as Hawking and The Bambers: Murder at the Farm; high profile original nature series such as Shark with Steve Backshall, as well as the best of the US including Young Rock and SWAT.
By contrast, brand-new destination Sky Max will be available as a linear channel and on-demand service, and will be the new home for Sky’s blockbuster entertainment, including original dramas and original comedy entertainment. Sky Max’s launch schedule will include shows such as the return of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, The Russell Howard Hour and DC Super Heroes.
Further moves will see Sky Comedy updated so it now becomes the home of Sky Original Comedy including shows such as Code 404 and Hitmen Reloaded, that were previously on Sky One, alongside the Best of US comedy such as The Office US, PEN15 and Miracle Workers. Sky Atlantic will remain the exclusive home of high-concept original dramas such as Landscapers, I Hate Suzie, Gangs of London and Chernobyl, as well as being the home of drama from HBO and Showtime.
