Sky confident over future relationship with HBO

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief

Published: August 29 2022 | 12:08

Last updated: August 31 2022 | 15:58

Sky confident over future relationship with HBO

Sky's director of programming says that he is confident that the broadcaster will maintain a relationship with HBO beyond 2025.

Sky's programming director Jamie Morris has said that he remains confident about the broadcaster's future relationship with HBO.

Since 2011 Sky has been in an arrangement with HBO giving it exclusive rights to HBO programming in Sky territories, including the UK, Germany, Italy and Austria.

The deal provides most of the content for the Sky Atlantic channel and has included blockbuster shows such as Game of Thrones, Succession and Boardwalk Empire.

HBO - now part of the Warner Bros. Discovery empire - had effectively been prevented from launching its HBO Max product in Sky markets due to the deal, although execs have previously indicated that they will look to launch the service when it expires in 2025.

Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival about the arrangement, Morris told delegates: "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."

With the end of the pact approaching, Sky has launched a significant push into original, high-quality commissions such as Gangs of London and Save Me in recent years.