Sky1 Abandons Plans for Blake’s 7 Remake

LONDON: Sky1 has canceled plans to bring back the cult science-fiction series Blake’s 7.

The series originally aired on BBC One between 1978 and 1981. A spokeswoman for Sky1 commented: "Following the development process we have decided not to produce Blake’s 7. However, Sky continues to invest heavily in original drama and it remains at the heart of our plans. We have just announced an extended run for the second series of Chris Ryan’s Strike Back and we’ll soon be unveiling a new long-running series for prime time."

B7 Productions also issued a statement regarding Sky1’s decision: "SKY deciding to not proceed with the planned TV revival of Blake’s 7 is obviously disappointing, but the development process has resulted in the dynamic reinvention of this ‘branded’ series. As SKY were the minority broadcaster, there is a huge opportunity for investment in a TV series that is fully developed, has genuine global appeal and has exciting 360-degree exploitation opportunities. With much praised scripts from lead writers Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle (Going Postal) and 60 percent of the finance already in place, by anyone’s standard we have pulled together a compelling package. We are confident that this reboot of Blake’s 7 has the creative and commercial credentials that will enable us to find a partner with the vision to recognize the strength and enduring appeal of the show and the opportunity it represents to produce a bold new drama series with significant international appeal."