Billie Piper to star and co-create new Sky original drama

Wednesday 21 August 2019

BAFTA nominee Billie Piper (Collateral, Doctor Who) will lead the cast of a new Sky original drama I Hate Suzie. Written by Emmy-nominee and critically acclaimed Lucy Prebble (Succession, Enron) and co-created by Piper, I Hate Suzie will air on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in 2020.

I Hate Suzie is a bold, bracing, Sky original drama about the moment in life when the mask slips, asking if any of us can survive being well and truly ‘known’. Suzie Pickles (Piper), has her life upended when she is hacked and pictures of her emerge in an extremely compromising position.

The eight-part series shows her unravelling as the event ricochets around every area of her life. Episode by episode we follow her through the stages of shock, denial, fear, shame, bargaining, guilt, anger and acceptance as Suzie and her best friend and manager Naomi try to hold her life, career and marriage to Cob together.

I Hate Suzie co-creator and actor Billie Piper said: “It’s taken years to finally get Lucy, my long-term GF and favourite writer in London - to work with me again. We feel we’ve created something timely and not for the faint-hearted. If you too suffer with anxiety, shame, compulsive lying but like a laugh, please tune in at some point.”

Lucy Prebble, writer, said: “At last I get to make my best friend BIllie Piper do terrible things on screen again. It is all I live for.”

Cameron Roach, Sky Studios director of drama, said: “We couldn’t be more excited about I Hate Suzie - a truly unique show, from the brilliant, long-standing creative partnership of Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper. Lucy’s scripts promise a vital, moving and darkly funny portrayal of the thirty-something woman, and the prospect of Billie bringing Suzie to life is thrilling. Following in the footsteps of Patrick Melrose, Save Me, and Chernobyl, I Hate Suzie’s commission underlines our belief in backing truly original drama and Sky Atlantic as the home for the most innovative storytelling and ideas.”

Executive producer for Bad Wolf Julie Gardner said: “Jane Tranter and I loved travelling time and space with Billie as the original ‘Bad Wolf’ - and know that her talent and fearlessness will make I Hate Suzie very special. Lucy Prebble’s blistering and provocative scripts take Suzie on a raw, rollercoaster ride full of upheaval and self-discovery. We can’t wait to get started!”

Made by Bad Wolf Limited, I Hate Suzie was commissioned by Zai Bennett, Managing Director of Content at Sky and Cameron Roach, Director of Drama, Sky Studios. Liz Lewin is the Commissioning Editor for Sky and the series is co-created and executive produced by Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper. Julie Gardner is executive producer and Andrea Dewsbery is producing, both for Bad Wolf. Sky Vision will handle the international distribution.

I Hate Suzie is the latest in a string of recent commissions as Sky continues to invest in original productions. Sky has recently committed to more than double its investment in original drama, comedy and documentary through Sky Studios, the commissioning and production arm of Sky. Sky Studios brings to screen unique stories from the very best talent in Europe and is the creative home of Sky’s award-winning and much-loved Sky originals.

Forthcoming Sky originals include Temple starring Mark Strong, Catherine The Great starring Helen Mirren; a second series of Jez Butterworth’s Britannia and a second series of Save Me staring Lennie James and Suranne Jones. 2019 has been a record year for Sky originals with 19-time Emmy-nominated Chernobyl becoming the most watched original ever with over 4 million viewers of the season finale. And away from the screen, Sky secured a record BAFTA haul with seven awards.

For more information please contact:

Alex Henderson, Sky Consumer Engagement

Alex.henderson@sky.uk

0207 032 1452

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Sky
With 24 million customers across seven countries, Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. Our 31,000 employees help connect our customers with the very best of Sports, News, the arts and to our own local, original content. Following the success of Sky originals like Chernobyl, Patrick Melrose, Das Boot and Gomorrah we launched Sky Studios and now plan to more than double our investment in original drama and comedy over the next five years.

Our technology allows customers to watch what they want, when they want, how they want, and as we connect millions of families to content they love, it is our responsibility to do it safely – that’s why we offer services like Sky Broadband Buddy and the Sky Kids app. And our online streaming service, NOW TV, brings viewers all the enjoyment of Sky with the flexibility of a contract-free service.

We also believe that a company of our scale has a responsibility that goes beyond our business, and into the community. Our Sky Ocean Rescue campaign has reached millions across Europe, we’re on track to be free of single-use plastic by 2020, we’re investing £25million over five years in ocean-saving tech and we’re a proud employer – recognised by The Times and Stonewall for our approach to inclusivity.

About NOW TV
NOW TV is a pick and mix TV streaming service that lets you choose from a range of passes contract free.

Available anytime, anywhere in the UK, you can watch through a NOW TV Box or NOW TV Smart Stick, or on the web. The NOW TV app is also available on over 60 devices. Whether you’re into big dramas, blockbuster movies, live sports or even just some extra TV for the kids, NOW TV offers four passes which include the latest and best TV and movies: Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Kids and Sky Sports.

This includes Sky Atlantic, over 300 Box Sets on demand, all 10 Sky Sports channels and over 1,000 movies – all available with no contract.

For more information:

• Visit nowtv.com

• Follow at facebook.com/NOWTV

• Join the conversation on twitter @NOWTV

About Bad Wolf
Bad Wolf was founded by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner and is based in South Wales. The company is responsible for co-producing award-winning The Night Of for HBO, A Discovery of Witches for Sky One, and upcoming His Dark Materials for BBC One and HBO, as well as the Welsh-language short film Beddgelert for S4C. Bad Wolf is currently in production for A Discovery of Witches series 2, His Dark Materials series 2 and Industry for HBO and has been commissioned by ITV for a new 6 part thriller Tenacity