The layoffs of about 30% of ad sales employees at Warner Bros Discovery started today and will likely proceed over the next few weeks.
26.08.2022 - 13:17 / deadline.com
British pay-TV network Sky expects to continue its relationship with HBO “one way or the other,” as Warner Bros. Discovery’s plans to merge HBO Max and Discovery+ in Europe next year gather pace.
Sky has had HBO content output deals in place since 2014, but its ability to re-up in 2025 has been the subject of much speculation as HBO Max rolled out. The pair also entered into a co-production pact in 2019 and have made shows such as the critical hit Chernobyl and comedy Landscapers.
Warner Bros. Discovery has stopped the Max roll out ahead of plans to create a merged product and has not yet addressed its deal with the UK giant. One option could be to pull back from the deal and put its HBO shows on the platform. Deadline revealed yesterday the streamer is letting go of 29 people in Europe.
HBO shows have historically been among Sky’s biggest rating shows: Game of Thrones delivered several records, while the debut of its prequel series House of the Dragon last week delivered a cumulative 1.4M over two showings — Sky Atlantic’s best since the original Westeros show.
Questioned on an Edinburgh TV Festival panel this morning whether Sky expected to strike a new deal, Sky Director of Programs for the UK and Ireland Jamie Morris said: “Our relationship with HBO continues to go from strength to strength. They’ve had a great year – the HBO slate is great and they’re creative co-production partners with us.
“One way or the other that relationship will continue, in what shape we will wait and see.”
This morning, Sky unveiled a series of comedy shorts featuring the likes of Rosie Jones, Desiree Birch and Jordan Stephens.
The layoffs of about 30% of ad sales employees at Warner Bros Discovery started today and will likely proceed over the next few weeks.
Succession, Ted Lasso and The White Lotus were the victors in their respective drama, comedy and limited categories at this year’s Emmy Awards. In total, the trio bagged 12 awards at Monday’s ceremony, including the big prize in their respective fields.
House Of The Dragon has shared a teaser for season one episode five – take a look below.The Game of Thrones spinoff series is currently airing weekly on HBO Max, with the forthcoming episode airing on September 18.Paddy Considine’s Viserys Targaryen can be heard saying “I wish to propose a marriage to my daughter and heir” in the start of the teaser.“I hope to herald in a second age of dragons, ” before being warned that “knives will come out” and another person saying that “the king will die”.Take a look at the teaser here:House Of The Dragon recently became Sky’s biggest US drama launch and the most watched Sky Atlantic premiere ever in the UK.After the show’s premiere broke records at HBO, attracting almost 10million viewers, the Game Of Thrones prequel smashed viewing records in the UK.According to Sky (via Deadline), the first episode has attracted more than four million viewers, beating the launch of Game Of Thrones in 2011.Zai Bennett, head of content at Sky, said: “Momentum around House Of The Dragon just continues to build, as more and more people spread the word about its ever-current narrative of political power play married with visuals of epic scale and imagination.“And thanks to Sky making the first episode freely available to watch via YouTube, more people than ever before will be able to sample the world-class world of Westeros.”
Edinburgh Airport will temporarily close its airspace tomorrow to allow for the Queen's final journey from Scotland to London.
Game Of Thrones star Kit Harington has shared his thoughts on new prequel House Of The Dragon, saying the team behind the show have done a “fantastic” job.House Of The Dragon follows the Targaryen dynasty 200 years before the events of Game Of Thrones, and has received positive early reviews.After the show’s premiere broke records at HBO, attracting almost 10million viewers, the Game Of Thrones prequel has also now smashed viewing records in the UK, becoming Sky’s biggest US drama launch and the most watched Sky Atlantic premiere ever.Speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this weekend, Harington – who starred as Jon Snow in Game Of Thrones – was asked about his thoughts on House Of The Dragon by Entertainment Tonight Canada.“I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “My friend Miguel [Sapochnik] show-run it, so I’m really enjoying it.Harington added: “I think they’ve done a fantastic job. It’s a weird one to start a whole new show in the same kind of realm and to make it its own thing.
House Of The Dragon has become Sky’s biggest US drama launch and the most watched Sky Atlantic premiere ever.After the show’s premiere broke records at HBO, attracting almost 10million viewers, the Game Of Thrones prequel has smashed viewing records in the UK.According to Sky (via Deadline), the first episode has attracted more than four million viewers, beating the launch of Game Of Thrones in 2011.Zai Bennett, head of content at Sky, said: “Momentum around House Of The Dragon just continues to build, as more and more people spread the word about its ever-current narrative of political power play married with visuals of epic scale and imagination.“And thanks to Sky making the first episode freely available to watch via YouTube, more people than ever before will be able to sample the world-class world of Westeros.”Adapted from George R.R. Martin’s novel Fire & Blood, House Of The Dragon is set 200 years before events in Game Of Thrones.
Having last month become HBO’s biggest European launch, Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is also smashing UK records, becoming Sky’s biggest U.S. drama launch and biggest Sky Atlantic series premiere in its 11-year-history.
Game Of Thrones‘ highly-anticipated prequel House Of The Dragon debuted last month with an action-packed and undoubtedly shocking first episode. The show, set 200 years before the events of the original show, starts with House Targaryen at the height of its power across the Seven Kingdoms when King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) sat on the Iron Throne. The series chronicles the downfall of the Targaryen clan.
A car has flipped onto its roof following a smash on a quiet street in the capital. Emergency services rushed to Stenhouse Drive in Edinburgh at around 5pm yesterday, following reports that a white car had been left upside down following a collision.
The 2022 Edinburgh Festival is now in its final week, with a packed programme of great theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, musicals, opera, dance, physical theatre, film, visual art, talks, debates and spoken word.CMU’s sister media ThreeWeeks has been covering it all throughout the month.
The 2022 Edinburgh Festival is now in its final week, with a packed programme of great theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, musicals, opera, dance, physical theatre, film, visual art, talks, debates and spoken word.CMU’s sister media ThreeWeeks has been covering it all throughout the month – and here in the CMU Daily we have been picking out some highlights from this year’s coverage.
The 2022 Edinburgh Festival is now in its final week, with a packed programme of great theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, musicals, opera, dance, physical theatre, film, visual art, talks, debates and spoken word.CMU’s sister media ThreeWeeks has been covering it all throughout the month – and here in the CMU Daily we have been picking out some highlights from this year’s coverage.
Game of Thrones fans don’t have long left to wait to get their latest fix of George RR Martin’s ever-expanding fantasy world. After the original’s final series left many feeling underwhelmed, producers will be hoping for a more resounding response to its prequel House of the Dragon.
Eve Best is set to be inducted into the Game of Thrones hall of fame when its debut series first airs on Sky Atlantic tonight. Fans will soon come to know her as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon in the eagerly-anticipated prequel House of the Dragon.
The Game of Thrones prequel, House of The Dragon airs on Monday, August 22.
The Edinburgh Festival is currently in full swing with a packed programme of great theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, musicals, opera, dance, physical theatre, film, visual art, talks, debates and spoken word.CMU’s sister media ThreeWeeks is covering it all and here in the CMU Daily we’ll pick out some highlights from this year’s coverage.Today, we talk to comedian Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa about his Fringe show ‘Monsoon Season’. Click here to read the interview.
The Edinburgh Festival is currently in full swing with a packed programme of great theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, musicals, opera, dance, physical theatre, film, visual art, talks, debates and spoken word.CMU’s sister media ThreeWeeks is covering it all and here in the CMU Daily we’ll pick out some highlights from this year’s coverage.Today, we talk to comedian Tom Ward about his Fringe show ‘Anthem’. Click here to read the interview.
The Edinburgh Festival is currently in full swing with a packed programme of great theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, musicals, opera, dance, physical theatre, film, visual art, talks, debates and spoken word.CMU’s sister media ThreeWeeks is covering it all and here in the CMU Daily we’ll pick out some highlights from this year’s coverage.Today, we talk to musician, comedian and story-teller Faye Treacy who is performing her “honest musical storytelling show” ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ at this year’s Fringe. Click here to read the interview.
The Edinburgh Festival is currently in full swing with a packed programme of great theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, musicals, opera, dance, physical theatre, film, visual art, talks, debates and spoken word.CMU’s sister media ThreeWeeks is covering it all and here in the CMU Daily we’ll pick out some highlights from this year’s coverage.Today, we talk to writer, playwright, podcaster and comedian James Nokise who is performing his show ‘God Damn Fancy Man’ at this year’s Fringe. Click here to read the interview.