Out: Antonia Hurford-Jones, Channel Director, Sky Living

Antonia Hurford-Jones is leaving her role as Channel Director of Sky Living, as the channel moves away from commissioning original content. Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Desi Rascals, Sky Living

Desi Rascals w/t  (12 x 60′) – Structured reality series that follows the lives of  30-something British Asians living in West London.   Channel: Sky Living Producer: Buccaneer Media TX: 2015 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Billionaire Lifestyles, Sky Living

Billionaire Lifestyles w/t (6x 60′) –  Obs doc series that explores the day-to-day concerns of the extremely wealthy and the people who they pay to make their lives easier. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Thinking Violets TX: Autumn 2014 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Becoming Mum and Dad, Sky Living

Becoming Mum and Dad (6 x 60′) – Docuseries following the fortunes of first-time parents as they adapt to their new lives as a family. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Spun Gold TX: TBC Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Newlyweds, Sky Living

Newlyweds (8 x 60′) – Docuseries following the fortunes of newly-married couples as they settle into their new lives. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Monkey Kingdom TX: TBC Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: She’s Having a Baby, Sky Living

She’s Having a Baby (8 x 60′) – Docuseries following the trials and tribulations of two expectant mothers per episode. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Nutopia TX: TBC Source:  Realscreen

Greenlit: Typical Married Couples, Sky Living

Typical Married Couples w/t (10 x 30′) – An amusing look at relationships in modern Britain that combines survey results with interviews. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Fever Media TX: Early 2013 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Show Me Your Wardrobe, Sky Living

Show Me Your Wardrobe (10 x ) –  Fashion stylist Jackie Dixon and model/designer Zara Martin visit celebrities and hunt through their wardrobes to find their best and worst outfits and find their signature style. Part clothing biography / part fashion show that reveals how ordinary people can replicate their look (with the help of […]

Greenlit: Jade’s Legacy: The Fight Goes On, Sky Living

Jade’s Legacy: The Fight Goes On (1 x 60′) – Documentary that remembers Big Brother star Jade Goody who died of cervical cancer in 2009 and asks why the number of smear tests being performed has dropped since then. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Smoking Pony TX: 7th June 2012 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Ladyboys, Sky Living

Ladyboys (6 x 60′) – Docuseries following the transgender contestants in the Miss International Queen competition. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Redback Productions TX: TBC Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Sing Date, Sky Living

Sing Date w/t (40 x 30′) –  Dating format in which ten men have to sing online in order to impress a woman. She chooses her favourite three to duet with, and the best one wins  a date – on which they record a song as a memento. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Princess Productions TX: […]

Greenlit: Rihanna Fashion Project, Sky Living

Rihanna Fashion Project  w/t ( 10 x 60′) – Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts helps Rihanna find the next generation of British designers who have to compete across a series of challenges that see them creating new looks for celebrities and music stars. The final challenge is to create an outfit for Rihanna to wear […]

In: Philip Edgar Jones, Head of Entertainment, Sky1 / Sky Arts / Sky Living / Sky Atlantic / Sky Movies

Phil Edgar Jones has been appointed as head of entertainment Sky overseeing commissioning for Sky 1, Sky Arts, Sky Living, Sky Atlantic and Sky Movies. Read more: Realscreen

Greenlit: The Love Machine, Sky Living

The Love Machine (10 x 60′) – Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles and X-Factor darling Stacey Solomon host a dating show in which people  must answer questions that they wouldn’t usually have to answer on a first date. Viewers can play along on Facebook, where a ‘date’ is picked from amongst their friends and they […]

Greenlit: Disco Diva Mums, Sky Living

Disco Diva Mums  (1 x 60′) – Documentary that follows the dancers in UK Freestyle Dance competitions. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Landmark Films TX: Autumn 2011 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Pamper Palour Mums, Sky Living

Pamper Parlour Mums (1 x 60′) – Documentary that goes behind the scenes of a beauty salon aimed at girls under 13 years old. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Touch Productions TX: Autumn 2011 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Diet Crazy Mums, Sky Living

Diet Crazy Mums (1 x 60′) – Documentary looking at mothers who encourage their daughters to diet. Channel: Sky Living Producer: ZKK TX: Autumn 2011 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Bigger Then Britney, Sky Living

Bigger Then Britney (6 x 60′) –  Celebrity lookalikes attempt to stick to the diet, exercise and beauty habits of their idols to see if they can slim down to look exactly like them. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Renegade Productions TX: Early 2012 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Double Wedding, Sky Living

Double Wedding (8 x 60′) – Reality series in which two brides with very different ideas of what would be their perfect wedding day have to work together to agree on the details of a joint wedding. No agreement, no wedding. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Dragonfly TV TX: Autumn 2011 Source: C21

Greenlit: Junk Food Mums, Sky Living

Junk Food Mums (1 x 60′) – Documentary that follows families that live on junk food. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Spun Gold TV TX: 12th September 2011 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Botox-Mad Mum, Sky Living

Botox-Mad Mum (1 x 60′)  – Documentary the profiles a mum of five girls who gave one (aged 7) a gift voucher for a breast enlargement and regularly goes under the knife herself to improve her looks. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Outline Productions TX: Autumn 2011 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Steps, Sky Living

Steps (4 x 60′) – Docuseries following members of the band Steps as they attempt to work through their issues in advance of an album launch. Channel: Sky Living Producer: ITV Studios TX: Late 2011 Source: C21

Greenlit: Claire Richards: Slave to Food, Sky Living

Claire Richards: Slave to Food (3 x 60′) – Ex-Steps pop group member Claire Richards features in this series that sees her trying to stick to a diet for 12 month as she attempts to overcome her food compulsion. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Spun Gold TV TX: TBC Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Katie Price: Standing up for Harvey, Sky Living

Katie Price: Standing up for Harvey (1 x 60′) – Ex-glamour model Katie Price speaks out after comedian Frankie Boyle made a joke on his Channel 4 show Tramadol Nights aimed at her disabled son Harvey. She explains the effect the joke had on her and how disabled kids deal with insults. Channel: Sky Living […]

Greenlit: Discovered by Katie Price, Sky Living

Discovered by Katie Price (8 x 60′) –  Glamour model Katie Price (aka Jordan) sets out to scout new modelling talent. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Marvellous Creative Group TX: Autumn 2011 Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Chick Fix, Sky Living

Chick Fix (8 x 60′) – Factual entertainment show in which Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model judge Grace Woodward presides over a house of four women who get lifestyle tips from a panel of experts. Each episode sees a different set of chicks move in. Channel: Sky Living Producer: Atomized TX: TBC Source: Televisual

Greenlit: How to Nab a Prince, SKY Living HD

How to Nab a Prince (3 x 60′) – Patsy Kensit presents a step-by-step guide to finding, wooing and winning a prince for those eager to follow in the footsteps of Kate Middleton. Channel: Sky Living HD Producer: Spun Gold TV TX: 20th April, 2011 Source: Realscreen

In: Jane Johnson, Director, Sky Living

Jane Johnson has been appointed to the new role of Director Sky Living, spearheading the development of the Sky Living brand. Jane previously worked as Saturday and Associate Editor of The Sun, and launched Closer, Fabulous and Buzz magazines. In her new role Jane will report to Sophie Turner Laing, Sky’s Managing Director of Entertainment, […]

In: Mark Sammon, Head of Factual Entertainment, Sky1, Sky Arts, Sky Living, Sky Atlantic

Mark Sammon has been appointed as Head of Factual Entertainment responsible for Sky1, Sky Arts, Sky Living and Sky Atlantic. Source: C21

Greenlit: Living with Elizabeth Hurley, Sky Living

Living with Elizabeth Hurley (1 x 60′) – Documentary following actress Elizabeth Hurley as she juggles family life with working on her organic farm with international business engagements. Channel: Sky Living Producer: HCA Entertainment TX: Early 2011 Source: Broadcast

In: Colm Martin, Commissioning Editor, Factual Entertainment, Sky

Colm Martin has been appointed as Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment at Sky, commissioning across  Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living and Sky Arts. Read more: Realscreen

In: Charlotte Desai, Commissioning Editor, Factual Entertainment, Sky

Charlotte Desai has been appointed as commissioning editor for factual entertainment at Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living and Sky Arts, reporting to Michele Kurland Source: C21

In: Lorraine Charker-Phillips, Factual Entertainment Commissioning Editor, Sky

Lorraine Charker-Phillips has been appointed as commissioning editor for factual entertainment at Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living and Sky Arts, reporting to Michele Kurland Source: C21

In: Michele Kurland, Head of Factual Entertainment, Sky

Michele Kurland has been appointed as head of factual entertainment at Sky (from March 2012), overseeing production and commissioning of programmes across Sky 1 HD, Sky Living HD, Sky Atlantic, HD and Sky Arts HD. Read more: Realscreen

Meet the Commissioner: Stuart Murphy, Sky1

Stuart Murphy is director of programming for Sky1; he recently outlined his current channel strategy and needs. * Wants the channel to have style, humour and warmth.
* There should be more intelligence and curiosity across the factual programmes.
* Sky1 programmes need to be good enough to pull people away from Freeview on onto subscription TV. Sky1 needs to be loved in the same way that HBO is loved by its audience: there should be 8-10 programmes that viewers “will crawl over broken glass to watch”.
* There will be 3D Sky channel by the end of 2010, so is thinking about shows that look good in 3D and HD 3D. Click through for more.

(Photo by torrez CC BY-SA 2.0)

Greenlit: One & Other, Sky Arts

One & Other (1×90′ TBC)  Mike Figgis is making a documentary that will chronicle the 100 days of Antony Gormley’s ‘living sculpture’ on the fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square. Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days a different member of the public takes their place as a living sculpture, which is called […]

Greenlit: Celebrity Parents’ SOS, Sky Real Lives

Celebrity Parents’ SOS w/t (10×30′) –  Lifestyle format aimed at helping people live on a budge to help them through the current economic crisis. Families who lack basic housekeeping, mending, DIY and cooking skills are visited by Shirley Clarkson (mother of Jeremy) and Peter Jones (father of Vinnie) and their team for a day to […]

In: Danny Carvalho, Commissioning Editor, Factual Entertainment, Channel 4

Danny Carvalho is to join Channel 4’s Factual Entertainment and Entertainment department as Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment. Danny will report to Liam Humphreys, who heads the Factual Entertainment and Entertainment teams at the channel. He replaces Rich Evans who recently left the department. Carvalho’s appointment to Factual Entertainment and Entertainment follows a maternity cover […]

Factual Entertainment Commissioners: Difficult to Deliver

Ever so often a show comes along that changes the landscape and influences everything that comes in its wake: Big Brother (contributors/contestants/celebrities confined to one location for the duration of a series), Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing With the Stars (celebrities pairing with professionals to learn a skill and compete), One Born Every Minute (fixed-rig shows). The latest show to be spreading its DNA far and wide seems to be Gogglebox. At Sheffield Doc/Fest in 2015 a panel of Factual Entertainment Commissioners discussed their current needs.

Sheffield Doc/Fest: Through a Current Affairs Lens by Charlotte Fisher

The first time Charlotte Fisher went to Sheffield Doc/Fest, in 2011, she was a total novice in the world of documentary making. She was a TV news reporter making a switch to factual programmes and although she’d made current affairs half hours, this was another world. In 2015 she went to the festival as a journalist, going to seminars and watching films; getting an overview of the whole festival. But she was also taking an interest with her other hat on, as a freelance producer at an independent production company.

Greenlit: Port Protection, Nat Geo

Port Protection  – The remote, fog-shrouded community of Port Protection is tucked into the northwest corner of Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, and surrounded by the freezing waters of the North Pacific. A small band of extraordinary people push the limits of survival, living an isolated and risky life of self-reliance with no roads, no […]

Greenlit: Unearthed, Discovery

 Unearthed (5 x 60′) – Buried deep in the forests surrounding the small town of Falls City, Oregon is a fortune that only a few men know how to find. During the weeks leading up to the holiday rush, they are on the hunt for one of the most expensive delicacies in the world: black […]

Greenlit: Dead End Express, Nat Geo

Dead End Express – Across the vast and untamed wildernesses of the U.S., a hardy breed of American still lives a life set apart. Not just off the beaten path, these families and individuals are physically cut off from society by Rocky Mountains, roaring rivers and frozen tundra. However self-sufficient they might be, no man […]

Greenlit: Caribbean with Simon Reeve, BBC2

Caribbean with Simon Reeve (1 x 60′) –  A series that blends travel with wildlife, issues, adventure, and incredible insights into a glorious region of the world. With thousands of beautiful islands and a long mainland coast, the Caribbean is a vast area spanning a million square miles. It is home to some of the […]

Greenlit: Urban Jungle, Nat Geo WILD / Nat Geo

Urban Jungle (3 x 60′) – Black bears sleeping in our basements, baboons breaking into our kitchens, coyotes snatching our pets out of our backyards – wild animals are moving into our space. As humans continue to build and expand cities and suburbs around the world, animals are losing their homes and inching their way […]

Greenlit: Weekend Warriors, Yesterday

Weekend Warriors (6 x 60′) – A glorious celebration of British eccentricity, visiting the little-known world of the battle re-enactors. These men and women spend their weekends living in the past, as Roundheads, Cavaliers, Roman legionnaires, maids in distress, WWII soldiers or even Vikings. They bring to life the most famous battles in history, which […]

Greenlit: Good Swan, Bad Swan: Dancing Swan Lake, BBC4

Good Swan, Bad Swan: Dancing Swan Lake  (1 x 60′) –  Tamara Rojo, world-famous ballerina and Artistic Director of English National Ballet, will take viewers backstage as she prepares for one of classical ballet’s biggest challenges, the dual lead in Swan Lake. It is the ultimate role for any dancer requiring her to play the […]

Development Lessons From Three of the Best Films at IDFA 2013

IDFA in Amsterdam is always my chance to concentrate fully on watching films over anything else and typically watch around 25+ films over the course of several days. This focused immersion in documentaries is guaranteed to be thought-provoking and often throws up several interesting themes or trends; here’s a round up of my top three favourite films from IDFA 2013 with an attempt to articulate what makes them successful. I’ve chosen these documentaries on the basis that of the 22 films I saw these were the ones I found most enjoyable and that have stayed with me, and I would definitely watch them all again. But beyond being enjoyable, what can we learn from these films that could help us when developing and pitching our own films? (Photo courtesy of Dogwoof)

Greenlit: Alaska, Japan, Patagonia, New Zealand, BBC2

Alaska, Japan, Patagonia, New Zealand (12 x 60’) –  Four iconic corners of the globe, each stunningly photographed, with a very different story to tell in four trilogies. Alaska is one of the most seasonal places on Earth, where every living thing – both wildlife and people – must cope with extremes of heat and […]

Greenlit: Tiger in the House, BBC2

Tiger in the House (3 x 60’) –  There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, and efforts to keep the species going in protected environments are key to not losing them for ever. For the next three months, the BBC Natural History Unit is following the extreme lengths one zoologist and […]