Sky to bring ‘The Next Jamie Vardy’ to screens in September

Tuesday 22 August 2017

Sky 1 will broadcast a fly-on-the-wall documentary following Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy, as he searches for the next big star from non-league football.

Starting on Sky 1 on Saturday 16 September, the new series will take a look behind the doors of Jamie Vardy’s V9 Academy. The show will follow Vardy as he seeks to discover new talent from non-league football and help future footballers realise their professional dreams, by providing them with a unique insight into what it takes to play at the top level of the game.

With unprecedented access, the series provides a glimpse into the lives of talented amateur players who have been shortlisted to attend the V9 Academy, in front of scouts from around the world, in a bid to become ‘The Next Jamie Vardy’. The series will also reflect back on Vardy’s time playing in non-league football, where he began his career with Stockbridge Park Steels in 2007, before helping Leicester City to a fairy tale Premier League title.

The six-part docu-series, produced by Zig Zag productions, will also be broadcast on Sky Sports’ new dedicated Premier League channel in September. The show will air on the channel alongside live Premier League football, which includes some big head-to-heads, such as Manchester City v Liverpool, Chelsea v Arsenal and Manchester Utd v Everton.

Jamie Vardy, striker for Leicester City and England, said: “There’s massive talent out there in non-league football and I hope this documentary has demonstrated that, by putting the spotlight on players trying to find a way to the top. I’m now hopeful that some of the clubs, scouts and players that were sceptical about what John (co-founder of V9) and I set out to do are won over. There are many more hidden gems to be found outside the league and V9 will do all it can to help players realise their ultimate dream of playing professional football for club and country.”

Adam MacDonald, Commissioning Director at Sky 1, commented: “Jamie completed one of the most remarkable stories in the history of English football by winning the Premier League title. Now he wants to offer that fairy tale opportunity to others like him, with the V9 academy. We can’t wait to use this unique access to show Sky customers the real stories behind non-league players hoping to make it to the big time.”

John Morris, co-founder of V9, said: "With the right attitude, V9’s talented players can take the top-level by storm. The remarkable aspect of Jamie’s story is that a player of his quality is proof that hidden talent can lie undiscovered if you look hard enough. The academy has proved that there are league players within the non-leagues, with the documentary showcasing some great examples of why it is never too late to fulfil your dream of being a professional footballer.”

The Next Jamie Vardy:

Episode 1, ‘title x’: 16 Sept (Sky 1), 17 Sept (Sky Sports Premier League)

Episode 2, ‘title x’: 23 Sept (Sky 1), 24 Sept (Sky Sports Premier League)

Episode 3, ‘title x’: 30 Sept (Sky 1), 1 Oct (Sky Sports Premier League)

Episode 4, ‘title x’: 7 Oct (Sky 1), 8 Oct (Sky Sports Premier League)

Episode 5, ‘title x’: 14 Oct (Sky 1), 15 Oct (Sky Sports Premier League)

Episode 6, ‘title x’: 21 Oct (Sky 1), 22 Oct (Sky Sports Premier League)

For further information, please contact:

TPF

James Rickard
jamesrickard@tpf-london.com
0207 291 1527

Dan Vaughan
danvaughan@tpf-london.com
0207 291 1536

Sky Sports
Sky Sports PR
020 7032 1445

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