Sky Commissions 12 New Factual & Arts Programs

Sky has commissioned 12 new programs for Sky Documentaries, Sky Crime, Sky Nature and Sky Arts in 2023.

Coming to Sky Documentaries, Zuckerberg: King of the Metaverse (w.t.) pieces together the events of Mark Zuckerberg’s life, including the creation of Facebook and Meta. It features rarely seen archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Daley (w.t.) provides a definitive account of the life and career of athlete Daley Thompson and tracks his eight gold medals and four world records as he became the first athlete ever to hold wins in the Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European competitions simultaneously.

In the true-crime genre, Sky has commissioned Dublin Narcos from the team behind the BAFTA Award-winning Liverpool Narcos, tracking the rise in violence, addiction and organized crime in Dublin from the 1980s to present day. Gone: Ireland’s Vanishing Triangle (w.t.) takes place in the Wicklow Mountains and explores the mystery of six women who went missing without a trace in the wooded hills between 1993 and 1998.

Who Killed Lin and Megan Russell? (w.t.) looks into one of the most shocking multiple murders of the ’90s as Michael Stone prepares a last appeal against his murder conviction after serving 25 years in prison. The Great Rhino Robbery (w.t.) tells a complex ecological crime story, examining how the rhino horn came to be more valuable than gold. The one-off documentary Forced Out (w.t.) questions why being gay in the Armed Forces remained illegal until as late as 2000, after countless men and women were dishonorably discharged because of their sexuality.

For Sky Nature, Steve Backshall returns in Whale with Steve Backshall, taking viewers on a journey across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans to discover the world’s most popular yet endangered whales and dolphins.

“Showcasing a richly diverse range of stories, characters and tones—from the man who built our obsession with social media to the shocking treatment of our gay veterans, from a spate of bizarre international rhino horn robberies to the triumphs and trials of Daley Thompson, as well as the Dublin-based follow up to our award-winning series Liverpool Narcos, and much more beyond—I couldn’t be more excited about our latest slate of projects in 2023 for Sky Documentaries and Sky Crime,” said Poppy Dixon, director of documentaries and factual commissioning.

On Sky Arts, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson and Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler join forces for Brian Johnson and Mark Knopfler’s Good Times, in which they go through the history of popular music alongside special guests such as Sam Fender and Emmylou Harris. Greatest Guitar Riffs, meanwhile, sees the world’s best guitarists explore the power of the riff in gigs past and present.

Decoding Turner sees two J.M.W. Turner enthusiasts, alongside art historians and academics, reveal the hidden codes they believe are woven into Turner’s paintings.

Master Crafters will return to Sky Arts with a new host, musician, comedian and actor Bill Bailey. Bill Bailey’s Master Crafters: The Next Generation will see him join junior crafters and seasoned experts as they explore wood carving, stained glass and silversmithing.

“We have a range of treats for our loyal Sky Arts lovers over the next few months, whether they want to argue over the best guitar riffs, marvel at the hidden symbols in J.M.W. Turner’s paintings or spend quality time with a rock legend or two—Joan Jett to Mavis Staples and everything in between,” said Phil Edgar-Jones, director of Sky Arts and Entertainment.