Sky 1 HD advances into Autumn/Winter with a season for all the family, packed with original programmes and returning series from the best talent on and off screen

Following a seven year absence from British television Sky 1 commissions an all new series of THE KUMARS from Hat Trick

The BAFTA® nominated short comedy film strand LITTLE CRACKERS returns with Martin Freeman the first star signing confirmed in a film produced by Vera. The full line-up to be revealed in the coming weeks

New series of THE KUMARS and LITTLE CRACKERS join the roster of unique, original programmes this Autumn on Sky 1. These two new series sit alongside a raft of new programmes and returning shows, with some of the best on and off screen television talent, making Autumn/Winter 2013 on Sky 1 the biggest one yet.

Sanjeev Bhaskar commented: "The entire Kumars family are very excited to have moved into a new home on Sky 1.  We are currently repainting the flat in anticipation of great guests, new members of the extended family and anyone else we can get to flog the tat from Dad's shop downstairs.  Granny's wind problems are almost under control so all are welcome."

Highlights of the upcoming season include new two part family drama MOONFLEET, starring Ray Winstone and Aneurin Barnard and written by Ashley Pharoah (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes). THE SMOKE, created and written by Lucy Kirkwood (Skins), which follows the adrenaline fuelled and gut wrenchingly emotional stories of the White Watch crew of a London Fire Station, starring Jamie Bamber and Jodie Whittaker. In comedy, brand new to Sky 1 comes YONDERLAND from the cast of the critically acclaimed ‘Horrible Histories’ and back for further runs, the award winning MOONE BOY with Chris O’Dowd and STELLA, with Ruth Jones. In entertainment, Lee Mack fronts a brand new entertainment quiz called DUCK QUACKS DON’T ECHO and in factual, Karl Pilkington goes on a journey of self-discovery in KARL PILKINGTON: THE MOANING OF LIFE.

Stuart Murphy said: "Sky 1 has been on an upwards trajectory for the past four years across every metric - in terms of how much current and future subscribers value it, it’s total consumption and also in terms of the calibre of talent who work with us, on and off screen.

Our major investment in Comedy, which began two years ago, continues to be warmly embraced by viewers, with award winning original Sky comedies sitting alongside brilliant US shows. This year our huge investment in Drama comes to screen across all Sky channels, with our biggest drama slate ever, with big pieces throughout the year on Sky 1, firmly establishing it as the home of broad modern mainstream TV of scale."

The latest commissions are part of Sky’s commitment to increase its investment in original British content by 50% over the next three years. By 2014, Sky expects to invest £600 million a year in British programmes across its portfolio of channels.

Autumn/Winter on Sky 1 HD shapes up as follows:

Comedy:

Commissioned by Lucy Lumsden, Head of Comedy Sky

THE KUMARS (6 x 60). The multi-award winning much loved television family, The Kumars, will return to television following a seven year absence with a new show coming to Sky 1 this winter. The series will see Sanjeev Bhaskar resuming the role of Sanjeev Kumar alongside Meera Syal (Gran/Ummi). Following a downturn in fortunes, The Kumars are now living in a flat in Hounslow, behind the homewares and gift shop called Bimla’s Superstore that Dad, Ashwin, now runs. Host, Sanjeev is divorced from his wife of nearly two years, Bindiya, but they share custody of their precocious 8 year old daughter. Mum, Madhuri, has returned to India to look after her ailing mother and Ashwin has secured a sponsorship deal with BIMLA CORP, to resurrect the family’s talk show. Each week, the show features three celebrity guests who get embroiled in the Kumars’ domestic squabbles as Sanjeev fearlessly tries to deliver a great chatshow.

LITTLE CRACKERS. The BAFTA® nominated strand returns for a fourth series this Christmas with Martin Freeman confirmed today as just one in the series of one-off autobiographical tales. Each will comprise a fifteen minute film and a fifteen minute behind the scenes look at its journey to the screen.

MOONE BOY SEASON 2 (6 x 30) Written by Chris O’Dowd and Nick Vincent Murphy, Moone Boy returns following on from the hit first series, awarded the Best Entertainment Show at the IFTAs. The story of Martin Moone (David Rawle) picks up as Martin begins life at secondary school and also steps into the 1990s, taking in all the excitement of the new decade as Italia ’90 and Jack Charlton’s Army provide a thrilling backdrop. Martin, the youngest of the scatter-brained Moone family, continues to let his imagination run wild both in his childish drawings, which come alive through animation, and in the ridiculous schemes he comes up with, against imaginary friend Sean Murphy’s (Chris O’Dowd) better judgement. Peter MacDonald and Dierdre O’Kane also star.

YONDERLAND (8 x 30) Written by and starring Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond, and produced by Working Title Television. The show will also feature puppets from Baker Coogan, long-time collaborators with the Jim Henson Company. Yonderland follows 33-year old Mum Debbie Maddox (Howe-Douglas) who unexpectedly finds herself in an extraordinary world inhabited by a collection of eccentric (and usually idiotic) characters, some of whom happen to be puppets, with only an Elf by her side.

STELLA (10 x 60 plus 1 x 60 Christmas Special in 2014) Following the success of the first two series, Sky 1 makes its way back to the valleys and life looks as eventful as ever as Patrick Baladi (Mistresses, The Office) is joining Ruth Jones in Pontyberry playing English lawyer, Michael Jackson.

Michael moves to the valleys and the house next door to Stella after an acrimonious divorce has caused him to have to down size his life. As he tries to adjust to valley life he soon becomes inextricably linked to Stella’s household.

Drama:

Commissioned by Anne Mensah, Head of Drama Sky

MOONFLEET (2 X 60). Moonfleet is a brand new two-part family drama. The adaptation of the much loved John Meade Falkner story is written by Ashley Pharoah (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes) and produced by the award-winning Company Pictures. Set in the small Dorset village of Moonfleet, young John Trenchard is desperate to join the local band of smugglers led by Elzevir Block. Together they embark on an adventure full of action, friendship and humour, and hunt for a fabled lost diamond. Ray Winstone (Great Expectations, Sexy Beast) leads the cast as Elzevir Block alongside Aneurin Barnard (The White Queen) as John Trenchard, newcomer Sophie Cookson as Grace Mohune and Ben Chaplin (Mad Dogs) as the anti-smuggling magistrate Mohune.

THE SMOKE (8 x 60). The Smoke, produced by Kudos Film and TV and created and written by Lucy Kirwood (Skins), follows the adrenaline fuelled and gut wrenchingly emotional stories of the White Watch crew of a London Fire Station. Filmed against the backdrop of East London’s extraordinarily diverse and colourful landscape, The Smoke stars Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica, Law & Order: UK) as Kev, a veteran firefighter searching for justice after the most traumatic call-out of his career causes him to question himself both as a hero and as a man. Jodie Whittaker (Broadchurch) plays Trish, Kev's girlfriend, who is striving to hold on to love and hope against the odds while Rhashan Stone (Strike Back) is  Kev's best mate Mal, whose identity is tested to the extreme.

STRIKE BACK: SHADOW WARFARE (10 x 60). Sullivan Stapleton (Scott) and Philip Winchester (Stonebridge) return with new cast addition Robson Green (Philip Locke) as series four pits Section 20 against al-Zuhari: an Iranian terrorist bent on perpetrating violence on European and American soil to deter the West’s involvement in Iranian-influenced countries. On the FBI’s most wanted list for decades, al-Zuhari’s very name commands respect from those who support his cause. During Section 20’s pursuit of him, numerous setbacks - both personal and professional - force Stonebridge and Scott to question their future with the unit but New Whitehall Chief, Philip Locke, inspires unquestioning loyalty in his men. Guest stars this series also include Martin Clunes and Dougray Scott.

MAD DOGS THE FINALE (2 x 60). After three gutsy, critically acclaimed series, Mad Dogs comes to a close this year with an explosive finale. Featuring a stellar British cast, Max Beesley, Philip Glenister, John Simm, and Marc Warren, customers will see the whether the boys will ever make it home from the holiday from hell.

Factual:

Commissioned by Celia Taylor, Head of Factual

KARL PILKINGTON: THE MOANING OF LIFE (5 x 60). After being sent around the world three times by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for An Idiot Abroad, Karl is going it alone on a journey of self-discovery. Now he has turned 40 and officially hit middle age, he’s ready to re-assess his life. The series will see Karl set off around the world to experience how other cultures face up to life’s big issues as he makes plans for his future.

ALL ABOARD: EAST COAST TRAINS (8 x 60). Cineflix Productions will take viewers beyond the ticket barriers, buffet cars and timetables as they explore the inner workings of one of the UK’s leading passenger train operators. Shot over winter and spring 2013, filming has captured all areas of the business be that following both passengers and the team across a wide variety of departments that work 24 hours a day to keep everything on track.

HARROW: A VERY BRITISH SCHOOL (8 x 60). Sky 1 HD takes an inside look at Harrow, one of the country’s most prestigious schools, where past pupils include Winston Churchill and Benedict Cumberbatch. Filmed over the course of a year, the show offers A-grade entertainment as it gets a taste of life at the hallowed all-boys institution, from its staff and pupils to its unique customs and traditions.

ROSS KEMP EXTREME WORLD (6x60) Returning for a third series, the critically acclaimed documentary series continues to gain extraordinary and unparalleled access to the places and people caught up in some of the most important global issues of our time. Currently in production, the BAFTA award-winning documentary maker has travelled to deliver dispatches from Mumbai and Calcutta, Papua New Guinea, Rio de Janeiro, and Northern Ireland.

ASHLEY BANJO’S THE TOWN THAT DANCED AGAIN (6 x 60). Ashley Banjo steps up to face his biggest ever challenge as he attempts to get the whole town of Stockton-On-Tees on its feet and dancing in the streets.

In his most ambitious dance project to date, Ashley Banjo, with the help of Diversity, will hit the town of Stockton-on-Tees, to persuade the people of this northern market town to join him in a street dance spectacular, which he hopes will bring the whole community together.

Entertainment:

Commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, Head of Entertainment

DUCK QUACKS DON’T ECHO (14 x 60). Lee Mack hosts a brand new entertainment series for Sky 1 HD. Based around amazing facts and trivia and shot in front of a studio audience, each show will see three celebrity panellists offering up an incredible fact in a bid to prove they have the best. The heritage of the fact may be from pub banter or it could be based on anecdotal evidence, either way each celebrity champions and stands by the authenticity of their claim as they are put to the test by any means necessary. Whether it involves gluing themselves to a ceiling or participants receiving electric shocks, the elaborate and hilarious methods will be employed to establish a winner.

In addition, all of the home grown content will be complemented by returning favourites from the US including GLEE, HAWAII FIVE-0, REVOLUTION and ARROW.

Notes to editor

For more information, contact

Tessa Matchett

Head of PR, Sky 1 HD

+44(0)7712077966

Susan Collins

PR Manager, Sky 1 HD

+44(0)7736026074