Sky is increasing their spend on original comedy. The satcaster's flagship channel Sky One has given the green-light to comedy series Hitmen and one-off The Queen & I, and renewed the Idris Elba created In The Long Run for a second season. 
Sky has teamed with Australian broadcaster Foxtel for Upright, an eight episode comedy drama set on a 4,000km road trip across Australia from Sydney to Perth, with a piano in tow. Tim Minchin (Californication) is attached to star, alongside newcomer Milly Alcock. 
Bad news for Rupert Murdoch, who is facing another hurdle in his years long quest to take full ownership of Sky. Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has announced that she is "minded-to-refer" 21st Century Fox's £11 billion bid to take full ownership of the satcaster to the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority). The CMA is now poised launch a six month investigation into the potential take over. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is minded to make make the referral on two grounds: "media plurality" and "genuine commitment to broadcasting standards". Fox's stock price fell slightly following the announcement. 
Some 24 hours after they landed a commission from Sky1 for A Discovery Of Witches, Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner's indie Bad Wolf has secured investment from Sky and HBO. The investment stems from Sky and HBO's multi-million pound co-production agreement. 
Sky has announced plans to broadcast the Queens Park Rangers’ #Game4Grenfell charity football match, which is raising funds for those affected by the horrific fire. The satcaster will air the game on both Sky1 and freeview channel Pick as part of an afternoon of special programming. 
Sky is adding another box set to their on-demand service. The satcaster has acquired Blood & Oil, the ten episode soapy drama that was produced for ABC during the 2015-2016 broadcast season, and has now made it available via Sky Box Sets, TVWise has learned. The show has been available since March 1st. 
After a public spat between the two companies that has been dragging on for the better part of a week, Sky and Discovery have reached a new multi-year carriage deal that will see their portfolio of channels remain on the satcaster's platform. In an almost unprecedented move, Discovery Networks UK & Ireland let rip tonight in a scathing press release which revealed that negotiations with Sky have broken down and the two parties have failed to reach a new carriage agreement for their portfolio of channels.