Elaine Pyke Takes the Helm as Director of Sky Atlantic HD, Strengthening Sky’s Premium Content

Sky has appointed Elaine Pyke to the newly created role of director of Sky Atlantic HD, the pay-tv company’s latest star channel, which boasts dramas from the UK and abroad and over 10 million viewers.

Pyke, previously head of drama at Sky, begins her new role immediately, reporting to Stuart Murphy.

She will oversee the continuing expansion of the Sky Atlantic brand as it invests in the best commissioned and acquired content for customers.

As head of drama, Sky says Pyke has been at the forefront of the group’s drama commissioning strategy. The move indicates the importance of the pay television company’s newest channel.

She has been responsible for developing big returning drama brands, including Martina Cole adaptations of The Take and The Runaway, Terry Pratchett’s The Hogfather and Going Postal, Chris Ryan’s Strikeback – which has recently been re-commissioned as a co-production with HBO – and most recently the BAFTA nominated Mad Dogs, also re-commissioned for a second series.

Sky Atlantic launched on February 1 to all 10.1 million Sky TV customers at no extra charge. It broadcasts popular dramas, including Boardwalk Empire, Treme, Blue Bloods, and George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones.

In the channel’s first two months, it reached more than 10 million unique viewers, and one in four Sky customers now value it as one of their top 10 channels, according to Sky.

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