Sky Atlantic

Sky Atlantic
Logo used since 2020
CountryUnited Kingdom
Broadcast area
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed.)
Timeshift serviceSky Atlantic +1
Ownership
OwnerSky Group (Comcast)
Sister channelsList of Sky UK channels
History
Launched1 February 2011; 13 years ago (2011-02-01)
ReplacedBravo
Links
Websitewww.sky.com/watch/channel/sky-atlantic
Availability
Streaming media
Sky GoWatch live (UK and Ireland only)
NowWatch live (UK and Ireland only)
Sky Atlantic VIP
Logo used from 2017 to 2019
CountryUnited Kingdom
Broadcast area
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed.)
Ownership
OwnerSky Group (Comcast)
History
Launched25 July 2017; 6 years ago (2017-07-25)
Closed12 June 2019; 4 years ago (2019-06-12)
Links
Websiteskyatlantic.sky.com

Sky Atlantic is a British pay television channel owned by Sky Group Limited broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel is primarily dedicated to imported programmes from the United States, and holds the domestic rights to HBO programming until 2025 (this doesn't cover Max original programming). It also broadcasts many original British produced Sky dramas. It is exclusively available on the Sky satellite TV platform (including Sky Go) and Sky's Now TV platform. Unlike the other channels from Sky Group, Sky Atlantic is not on Virgin Media. On 15 January 2024, select programming begun being simulcast on Sky Showcase.

Sky Deutschland broadcasts a German-language version of the channel in Germany and Austria, while Sky Italia broadcasts an Italian-language version of the channel in Italy. Their programming is also dominated by HBO and Showtime series, usually dubbed in the domestic language. The Italian channel also premieres Sky Originals produced in the country, like The Young Pope and Gomorrah.

Background

Sky Atlantic launched on 1 February 2011 on Sky in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Separated channels with the same name operate in Germany, Austria and Italy.

Sky Atlantic is available in both standard definition and high definition, the latter on Sky Atlantic HD. Stuart Murphy extended his responsibilities to become director of programmes for Sky One, Sky Two, Pick and Sky Atlantic. On 5 May 2011, Elaine Pyke, the head of drama at Sky, was promoted to director of Sky Atlantic, reporting to Murphy.

Programmes on the channel are also offered to Sky customers via on-demand channels including the On Demand and Sky Go services and Now TV. Both BT TV and Virgin Media had held talks with Sky over the new channel but have been unable to agree a carriage deal, in Virgin's case due to pricing.

It was announced on 25 October 2010 that Sky Atlantic would launch on Sky channel 108, which was previously occupied by Sky 3. Sky Atlantic also utilises the HD swap bouquet system developed by Sky, which switches SD channels with HD channels for HD Pack subscribers, meaning Sky Atlantic HD is on channel 108 and the standard definition version appears on channel 808.

Sky Atlantic +1

A one-hour timeshift of Sky Atlantic started broadcasting on 20 September 2012 on channel 173. It moved to channel 170 on 9 June 2015 as part of a reshuffle which also included the closure of Sky 3D, Sky Livingit becoming Real Lives and Sky Arts 1 and Sky Arts 2 merging to become simply Sky Arts. It moved to channel 217 on 18 July 2017 as part of the Sky Sports reshuffle which included Sky Sports Mix moving to entertainment, and again to 208 on 1 May 2018 as part of Sky's major EPG reshuffle due to Sky Atlantic being channel 108.

Sky Atlantic VIP

Sky Atlantic VIP was a rewards channel for subscribers of Sky TV who had been with Sky for 2 or more years and for subscribers who had the Sky Original Bundle (later Sky Entertainment pack, then Sky Signature pack). The HD version also required the HD pack in the UK and the Sky Box Sets pack in Ireland.

The channel only broadcast brand new episodes of a popular show a week or so before being shown on the main Sky Atlantic channel. An example of this is when episodes of Riviera were shown first on Sky Atlantic VIP, then a week or so later on Sky Atlantic. Sky Atlantic VIP was under Sky VIP's "See-It-First" offer. Sky VIP is a rewards programme for long-term Sky subscribers.

When the channel was not broadcasting a brand new episode of a programme, the channel was off-air resulting in the channel being on-air only for a few hours per week. The channel only broadcast adverts for programmes on Sky channels. The SD version was on Sky channel 994 with the HD version on channel 995. The channel closed on 12 June 2019.

Current programming

Drama

Title Genre Premiere Series Length Status Notes
Save Me Mystery drama 28 February 2018 2 series, 12 episodes 46–51 min. Renewed for final series Retitled Save Me Too for the second series

Comedy drama

Title Genre Premiere Series Length Status Notes
Dreamland Comedy 6 April 2023 1 series, 6 episodes 21–23 min. Pending

Co-productions

Title Genre Partner/Country Premiere Series Length Status Notes
Gangs of London Action crime drama AMC/United States 23 April 2020 2 series, 17 episodes 53–93 min. Renewed
Domina Historical drama Sky Atlantic/Italy
MGM+/United States (series 2)
14 May 2021 2 series, 16 episodes 48–55 min. Pending
The Lovers Romantic comedy Sundance Now/United States 7 September 2023 1 series, 6 episodes 23–30 min. Pending
Mary & George Historical drama Starz/United States 5 March 2024 1 series, 7 episodes TBA Miniseries ongoing
Awaiting release
The Tattooist of Auschwitz Historical drama Peacock/United States
Stan/Australia
2 May 2024 1 series, 6 episodes TBA Miniseries

Acquired programming

Upcoming programming

Comedy drama

Title Genre Premiere Series Length Status Notes
Sweetpea Comedy 2024 1 series, 8 episodes TBA Filming
The Death of Bunny Munro Comedy TBA 1 series, 6 episodes TBA Series order

Co-productions

Title Genre Partner/Country Premiere Series Length Status Notes
Day of the Jackal Thriller Peacock/United States 2024 1 series, 10 episodes TBA Filming
Lockerbie Drama Peacock/United States TBA 1 series, 5 episodes TBA Filming

Acquired programming

Former programming

Drama

Title Genre Original Broadcast Series Notes
Hit & Miss Crime drama 2012 1 series, 6 episodes
The British Docudrama 2012 1 series, 7 episodes
Fortitude Psychological thriller 2015–18 3 series, 26 episodes
Riviera Crime drama 2017–20 3 series, 28 episodes
Tin Star Crime drama 2017–20 3 series, 25 episodes
Little Birds Historical romance drama 2020 1 series, 6 episodes
This England Biographical drama 2022 1 series, 6 episodes

Comedy

Title Genre Original Broadcast Series Notes
This is Jinsy Comedy 2011–14 2 series, 17 episodes Previously aired the pilot episode on BBC Three
Walking and Talking Teen comedy 2012 1 series, 4 episodes
Hunderby Historical black comedy 2012–15 2 series, 10 episodes
Common Ground Comedy 2013 1 series, 10 episodes
Mr. Sloane Historical comedy 2014 1 series, 6 episodes
Doll & Em (series 2) Comedy 2015 1 series, 6 episodes Previously aired on Sky Living for series 1.
Camping Comedy 2016 1 series, 6 episodes
The Trip (series 3) Sitcom 2017 1 series, 6 episodes Previously aired on BBC Two for series 1–2. Moved to Sky One for series 4.
I Hate Suzie Black comedy 2020–22 2 series, 11 episodes Retitled I Hate Suzie Too for the second series

Unscripted

Title Genre Original Broadcast Series Notes
Thronecast Talk show 2011–19 8 series, 77 episodes Aftershow for Game of Thrones
The Devil's Dinner Party Game show 2011–12 1 series, 20 episodes
Cleverdicks Game show 2012 1 series, 30 episodes
Morgan Spurlock's New Britannia Talk show 2012 1 series, 10 episodes
God Save The Queens Docuseries 2012 1 series, 3 episodes
Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge Radio show 2012–16 2 series, 12 episodes Edited version of the web series of the same name
Adam Buxton's Bug Stand-up 2012 1 series, 8 episodes
Ronna and Beverly Talk show 2012 1 series, 6 episodes
Don't Sit In The Front Row Stand-up 2012–13 2 series, 16 episodes
Set List: Stand Up Without a Net Stand-up 2013–14 2 series, 14 episodes

Co-productions

Title Genre Partner/Country Original Broadcast Series Notes
Falcón Crime drama Canal+/France
ZDF/Germany
2012 1 series, 4 episodes
The Tunnel Crime drama Canal+/France 2013–17 3 series, 24 episodes
Penny Dreadful Dark fantasy drama Showtime/United States 2014–16 3 series, 27 episodes
The Last Panthers Crime drama Canal+/France 2015 1 series, 6 episodes
Guerrilla Historical drama Showtime/United States 2017 1 series, 6 episodes
Britannia Historical fantasy Amazon Prime Video (series 1)
Epix/United States (series 2–3)
2018–21 3 series, 27 episodes
Patrick Melrose Drama Showtime/United States 2018 1 series, 5 episodes
Sally4Ever Comedy HBO/United States 2018 1 series, 7 episodes
Chernobyl Historical drama HBO/United States 2019 1 series, 5 episodes
Catherine the Great Historical drama HBO/United States 2019 1 series, 4 episodes
Upright (series 1) Comedy drama Fox Showcase/Australia 2019 1 series, 8 episodes Moved to Sky Comedy for series 2.
The End Drama Fox Showcase/Australia 2020 1 series, 10 episodes
The Third Day Psychological thriller HBO/United States 2020 1 series, 6 episodes
Landscapers True crime comedy drama HBO/United States 2021 1 series, 4 episodes
The Baby Horror comedy HBO/United States 2022 1 series, 8 episodes

Acquired programming

Sky Atlantic relies heavily on screenings of US television programmes, with more than 50% of all programming coming from HBO. Although the channel mainly screens dramas, blocks in the channel's schedule are dedicated to comedies and movies. The launch of Sky Atlantic in 2011 followed the broadcaster's £150m, five-year deal to buy exclusive UK and Irish TV rights to HBO's entire archive, new HBO programming and a first-look deal on all co-productions. Although it has been renewed since, the exclusivity deal with HBO is currently set to expire by the end of 2025, allowing for the launch of Max in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.

In January 2016, Sky expanded the acquired programming on Atlantic after purchasing the exclusive rights to Showtime programming; however, Sky Atlantic does not broadcast all Showtime programmes, as some series would later air on Channel 4. The exclusivity deal with Showtime expired in December 2021, with future series becoming exclusive to Paramount+.

HBO programming

Showtime programming

Most watched programmes

The following is a list of the ten most watched programmes on Sky Atlantic (all of them being episodes of Game of Thrones), based on Live +7 data supplied by BARB up to 20 May 2019. The number of viewers does not include repeats or Irish ratings. Additionally, all of these episodes were the most viewed programme of the week on non-terrestrial television in the UK. Game of Thrones is Sky's most popular show.

Rank Programme Episode Number
of viewers
Date
1 Game of Thrones 8.04 – The Last of the Starks 5,430,451 6 May 2019
2 8.02 – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 5,266,034 22 April 2019
4 8.05 – The Bells 5,039,355 13 May 2019
3 8.06 – The Iron Throne 5,011,277 20 May 2019
5 8.03 – The Long Night 4,983,910 29 April 2019
6 8.01 – Winterfell 4,380,834 15 April 2019
7 7.07 – The Dragon and the Wolf 3,535,000 28 August 2017
8 7.01 – Dragonstone 3,487,000 17 July 2017
9 7.05 – Eastwatch 3,420,000 14 August 2017
10 7.03 – The Queen's Justice 3,263,000 31 July 2017

This page was last updated at 2024-03-16 21:11 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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