Sky Studios Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Nancy Grace’s ‘Bloodline Detectives’ Set For Season Three

K.J. Yossman CBS Studios’ Meghan Lyvers is heading to Sky Studios in a new role as director of original drama for the U.K.

K.J. Yossman NEW HIRESSky Studios Elstree, which will open later this year, has named Leavesden Studios sales VP Noel Tovey as managing director.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorFilming has begun in Prague on the Sky Original film “Der Kaiser,” which focuses on the life of German soccer player and manager Franz Beckenbauer.In the movie, Beckenbauer is shown fighting against the rigid structures and outdated rules in soccer, in order to do things his way. He also is shown to conduct his private life as he wishes, outside of the moral contraints and expectations of the time. The movie culminates in the victory of the German national team, which he managed, in the 1990 World Cup.Klaus Steinbacher, whose credits include “Das Boot” and “Oktoberfest 1900,” takes the leading role.

EXCLUSIVE: Billie Piper, star of series such as Doctor Who and Penny Dreadful, has landed her next TV gig.

K.J. Yossman It was a quirk of fate that first set Cécile Frot-Coutaz on the path to becoming CEO of Sky Studios, to which she was appointed last year.“I think we all have [those] moments that have quite an impact on your trajectory,” Frot-Coutaz tells Variety. “You may not really realize it when it happens, but when you look back later on, you can see the thread.”For Frot-Coutaz, who is receiving Variety’s Intl.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentProminent Dubai-based satellite pay-TV and streaming service Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) is launching OSN Plus, a new premium streaming service that replaces its streaming app and marks OSN’s full-fledged entry into the MENA region’s increasingly crowded SVOD landscape.The move comes after OSN in January re-upped its long-term exclusive partnership with HBO, and expanded its rapport with NBCU to include more premium content from Peacock and Sky Studios. The company also has new deals for premium shows in place with Endeavor Content and All3Media, supplementing existing partnerships with Paramount, Warner Media, Sony, Discovery, MGM and Lionsgate.However, OSN recently lost the SVOD leverage it had under its exclusive deal with Disney, which will be launching Disney Plus in the region this summer and has rescinded the SVOD aspect of that arrangement.

Sky Studios, the original programming arm of broadcaster Sky in Europe, has bolstered its UK Drama Commissioning team with a pair of hires.

K.J. Yossman Sky Studios has tapped Tilly Coulson and Sam Hoyle to join its U.K.

K.J. Yossman Sky have released first look images for a new Sky Original drama, “Unwanted.”Inspired by the book “Bilal,” an investigative book from journalist Fabrizio Gatti, the eight-part series tells the story of an undercover human rights defender who is helping migrants journey from Africa to Europe as they battle human traffickers and government officials.Stefano Bises (“Gomorrah”) created and wrote the series in collaboration with with the collaboration of Alessandro Valenti, Bernardo Pellegrini and Michela Straniero.

Manori Ravindran International EditorSky executive Jane Millichip, a distribution leader and a driving force behind the company’s sustainability drive, is leaving the company after almost 10 years.News of the executive’s departure was revealed to staff in a memo from Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz on Tuesday morning. Millichip, who currently serves as chief content officer for Sky Studios, is leaving the company after nine years.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Gucci family saga isn’t quite over.Just months after the release of Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci” — a film that could see Lady Gaga nominated for her second Oscar — a TV drama and documentary focusing on the Gucci family is in the works from Comcast-backed Sky Studios.The company is in early stages of development on a high-end TV series, and is in pre-production on a documentary series, both of which will tell “the story of a great family and a great brand,” says producer Nils Hartmann, senior VP for Sky Studios Germany and Italy.Both projects were brought to Sky by Leone Film Group, which has an agreement with several members of the Gucci family, including Alessandro Gucci, Guccio Gucci Jr. and Giorgio Gucci.

EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Land, who founded Snapped producer Jupiter Entertainment, has launched a new production company after exiting the Sky-backed business.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentWhen HBO Max drops the fifth and final season of Neapolitan gangster saga “Gomorrah” on Jan. 27, it will also mark the end of a convoluted seven-year journey for Italy’s most widely exported TV show.“In Italian TV, there is a before and after ‘Gomorrah,’” says Nils Hartmann, senior VP of Germany and Italy for Sky Studios, the production arm of the pay TV operator that originated the gritty, hyperrealistic crime skein.Besides attaining megahit status in Italy, the show has traveled to 190 countries, including the U.S., where it ran into snags due to the misdeeds of Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Co.’s 2018 bankruptcy.“It was a big mess,” says Oliver Bachert, sales chief at Germany’s Beta, which was selling the show.

William Earl Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz has been selected as the 2022 recipient of the Variety International Achievement in Television Award, to be presented at global content market MipTV in Cannes in April. Frot-Coutaz was the Head of EMEA at YouTube and CEO of Fremantle before joining Sky Studios last year.The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership and innovation in the international television marketplace.

Comcast and ViacomCBS have appointed a CEO for soon-to-launch JV streamer Sky Showtime.

Sky Sets ‘A Town Called Malice’ Cast

Sky Original Comedy ‘Bloods’ Second Season

EXCLUSIVE: Domina and The Terror actor Matthew McNulty has joined Sky’s supernatural crime thriller The Rising. McNulty replaced actor Daniel Ings in pre-production with filming ongoing in the UK on the series.

EXCLUSIVE: A feature doc on one of Formula 1’s most dramatic moments, the row between Ferrari drivers Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi, is the first project to emerge from Finding Jack Charlton producer Noah Media and Sky Studios’ multi-year partnership, with F1 driver Mark Webber set to exec produce.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentSky Studios and leading Nordic producer Sagafilm have renewed their multi-year development and distribution deal following the recent success of the Icelandic drama series “Sisterhood.”Sagafilm entered a partnership with Sky Studios, the European production and commissioning arm for Sky Original, back in 2019.

Naman Ramachandran Sky Deutschland has revealed plans for three new original series, which are part of a wider slate of 60 German and international series that will air in 2022.“Autobahn,” a 10-part series, will follow a pair of police officer brothers as they keep their cool while chasing suspects at high speed. Shot across Bavaria, the series is from producer Action Concept in association with Sky Studios.

Naman Ramachandran Sky Studios has appointed Preethi Mavahalli to the newly created role of creative director, drama, reporting into chief content officer Jane Millichip. She will join in Jan.

Comcast-owned Sky has revealed multiple commissions, including a Gemma Arterton comedy based on Nick Hornby novel Funny Girl.

Comcast and ViacomCBS are partnering on a new SVOD service, SkyShowtime, which will launch next year in 22 European territories. The joint venture will be co-owned by the two publicly traded corporations.A price point for SkyShowtime will come later.SkyShowtime will include programming from Showtime, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ Originals, Sky Studios, Universal Pictures, and Peacock.

Manori Ravindran International EditorComcast and ViacomCBS have teamed up to launch a new streaming service in more than 20 European markets.The new platform, which is called SkyShowtime, will reach 90 million homes and convene entertainment, movies and original series from NBCUniversal, Sky and ViacomCBS brands, including titles from Showtime, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Plus originals, Sky Studios, Universal Pictures and Peacock.

People working on Sky originals must undergo workplace respect training and will have access to a safeguarding representative under strengthened procedures introduced by the Comcast-owned European broadcaster following the Noel Clarke scandal.

In an unprecedented move, streaming giant Netflix and Comcast-backed pay-TV operator Sky are teaming up with “Sex Education” and “Ms. Marvel” writer Bisha K Ali to create a screenwriting fellowship for six U.K. writers that will provide them with financial aid, a support network and ultimately a job in a writers’ room for either a Netflix or Sky program. For Variety, Anne Mensah, VP of U.K. Original Series, and Jane Millichip, chief content officer for Sky Studios, discuss their vision for