Sky has announced its content plans for the coming year, and the timing reveals more than the shows themselves.
With HBO Max set to launch in the UK as a standalone service in early 2026, Sky’s latest announcements at the Edinburgh International TV Festival feel like a broadcaster preparing for battle.
The message from Sky’s top brass was clear: this is about “delivering for our customers” with “bold, distinctive stories” that showcase “British talent” and “extraordinary stories.”
It’s the kind of language you’d expect from a company that knows it can no longer rely solely on being the exclusive home of someone else’s premium content.
Caroline Cooper, Sky’s COO of Entertainment Group, didn’t mince words about their strategy: “It’s been a record-breaking year for Sky Originals, and our strategy remains clear: to deliver for our customers.
“Our upcoming slate reflects the strength of our creative partnerships, our investment in British talent, and our ability to bring extraordinary stories to viewers here and around the world.”
The slate itself is extensive – from legal thrillers starring Dominic West to reality series with Gemma Collins, and from Welsh choir documentaries to alien autopsy investigations.
But scratch beneath the surface, and this feels very much like Sky positioning itself for a future where HBO content is no longer its main differentiator.
The HBO Max Reality Check
Here’s the thing: when HBO Max launches in the UK in early 2026, it changes everything for Sky – even though they’ve managed to strike a deal to keep HBO shows on their service.
For those who missed the announcement last December, Sky struck a major partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery that will see HBO Max launch in the UK as both a bundled service for Sky customers and a standalone streaming platform for everyone else.
Sky and NOW Entertainment subscribers will get HBO Max’s ad-supported tier included at no extra cost when it launches.
Existing HBO shows like House of the Dragon and The Last of Us will continue to air on Sky Atlantic as they always have – but new shows will move to HBO Max.
Meanwhile, HBO Max will also be available as a standalone subscription service – just like Netflix or Disney+ – for anyone who wants to subscribe directly.
It sounds like the best of both worlds for Sky, but the reality is more complex. For years, Sky has leaned heavily on HBO’s prestige programming as a key differentiator.
Shows like Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and House of the Dragon weren’t just content for Sky – they were reasons to subscribe.
When your neighbour mentioned the latest episode of Succession, they were watching it on Sky Atlantic, not some standalone streaming service.
That exclusivity is about to end. While Sky customers will continue getting HBO content (and get HBO Max bundled in), Warner Bros. Discovery now has a direct relationship with UK consumers.
They can market their content directly, build their own subscriber base, and – of course – they’re no longer entirely dependent on Sky’s promotional muscle.
The deal also means that HBO Max will include content beyond traditional HBO shows – Warner Bros. films, DC superhero content, Discovery programming, and Max Originals like the upcoming Harry Potter series that will be exclusive to the platform.
Furthermore, HBO Max can also bundle in TNT Sports at a reduced price – another attractive point for the new platform.
This puts Sky in an interesting position. They’ve secured the deal that keeps HBO content flowing to their customers and even gives them access to HBO Max’s broader library, but they can’t pretend nothing has changed.
The writing is on the wall: to truly differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded market, Sky needs content that’s genuinely exclusive and can’t be found anywhere else.
It’s not just about commissioning their own shows, either. Sky is also tapping into content from sister platforms within the Comcast family – like The Good Daughter, which comes from Peacock in the US.
While it’s not technically a Sky Original, it gives them another form of exclusivity that competitors can’t easily replicate. It’s not just about having good content – it’s about having content that can only be found on Sky.
Sky’s New Content Lineup
WAR
Sky’s most ambitious new drama is WAR, a legal thriller that’s been greenlit for two series from the outset.
Starring Dominic West (The Wire, The Crown) and Sienna Miller, it’s set in the elite world of London law and follows rival firms Cathcarts and Taylor & Byrne as they battle in “the divorce case of the century.”
Created by George Kay (Hijack, Lupin) and produced in association with HBO (yes, them again), this feels like Sky’s attempt to create their own prestige drama that can stand alongside the exclusive HBO content they’re known for.
The fact it’s already been commissioned for two series suggests serious confidence in the project.
The Good Daughter
Coming in 2026, this thriller stars Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy as sisters whose lives were “fractured by a single night of violence.”
Based on Karin Slaughter’s novel, it’s described as “a suspenseful thriller wrapped in a deeply emotional story about love, family, and resilience.”
Gangs of London, Series 4
The BAFTA-winning action drama returns for its fourth series, continuing the “visceral action, high-stakes drama, and bold storytelling” that made it a fan favourite.
While details are still under wraps, the renewal shows Sky’s commitment to nurturing their successful originals into long-running franchises.
Mr Bigstuff, Series 3
Danny Dyer’s BAFTA-winning comedy gets a third series, with Dyer returning alongside series creator Ryan Sampson and Harriet Webb.
The Essex-set comedy became Sky Max’s highest-rated new original comedy in three years.
The Death of Bunny Munro
This darkly comic drama adaptation of Nick Cave’s novel follows “a sex-obsessed door-to-door salesman on a reckless road trip with his young son.”
Gemma Collins: Four Weddings and a Baby
Reality television gets the Sky treatment with this eight-part series following Gemma Collins as she plans her wedding and begins IVF treatment.
It’s described as showing “the woman behind the persona” – a more intimate look at the reality star’s life.
Collins herself said: “This really is the most important year of my life, and for the first time people will get to see the Gemma behind the GC.
“I feel ready to truly open up, not just about the present, but about my past and everything I’ve been through to become the woman I am today.”
Danny Dyer’s Caravan Park
This heartwarming reality series sees Danny Dyer and his family “bringing new life to a rundown seaside holiday park.”
Alien Autopsy
Sky Documentaries is getting extraterrestrial with this investigation into the infamous 1995 Roswell footage that “shocked the world.”
Directed by BAFTA-winner John Dower, it promises to explore whether the alien autopsy footage was genuine or “an elaborate hoax.”
The documentary will delve into “the wider world of ufology” and examine how the footage impacted everything from Roswell’s origin myths to mysterious sightings in Scotland.
The Essex Murders: Who Killed Goldfinger?
This documentary explores “the real-life story and mysterious murder of the infamous British criminal John Palmer.”
It’s part of Sky’s broader crime documentary slate, which has proven consistently popular with audiences looking for their next true crime obsession.
Boyzone: No Matter What
Described as Sky’s “biggest Original Documentary to date,” this personality-led documentary focuses on the Irish boy band that dominated the charts in the 1990s and 2000s.
Voices of the Valleys
Sky Arts ventures to Wales with this series, following three Male Voice Choirs and their conductors as they prepare for key events in their choral calendar.
From competitions to performances in front of 70,000 people, it explores “the pride and dedication involved in keeping this rich tradition alive.”
Drinks with Dame Judi
Dame Judi Dench opens her country home to longtime friend Kenneth Branagh for what promises to be an intimate conversation about their lives and careers.
“Peppered with archive and anecdote,” it’s designed to provide “personal biography and career highlights, along with lively conversation, funny insights and genuine candour.”