Katherine Ryan, Romesh Ranganathan comedy leads bumper Sky slate

Katherine Ryan and Romesh Ranganathan in Romantic Getaway

European pay TV operator Sky has unveiled its largest ever slate of new programming for 2022, featuring a Bonnie & Clyde-inspired comedy starring comedians Katherine Ryan and Romesh Ranganathan.

Produced by Ranganathan’s Ranga Bee and Sky Studios, Romantic Getaway is about couple Allison (Ryan) and Deacon (Ranganathan), who are broke but desperate for a baby so decide to steal the money from their filthy rich boss Alfie.

The six-part series is written by Ranganathan and Ben Green with Sarah Morgan and Elaine Gracie, directed by Shaun Wilson and produced by Caroline Norris. The executive producers are Green and Michelle Farr-Scott for Ranga Bee and Anil Gupta and Jon Mountague for Sky Studios.

Also in comedy, Sky has greenlit Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything, which stars Sheridan Smith, and Christmas Carole, which stars Vigil’s Suranne Jones.

In Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything, the title character decides to beat her various addictions after an embarrassing incident at her brother’s wedding. But are the addictions her real problem?

The comedy is produced by Hartswood Films for Sky Studios, written by Susan Nickson, directed by David Sant and produced by Sarah Fraser. The exec producers are Elaine Cameron for Hartswood Films and Jon Mountague for Sky Studios.

Produced by Sky Studios and written by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto, Christmas Carole is an adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic. It stars Jones as an unashamedly outspoken, mean and wealthy entrepreneur who receives a visit from some familiar Christmas spirits.

Over in drama, Sky has ordered The Tattooist of Auschwitz, based on the bestselling novel by Heather Morris, and political series COBRA: Rebellion.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is made by Synchronicity Films in association with Sky Studios. It tells the true story of Lale Sokolov, a Jewish prisoner who is given the job of tattooing identification numbers on fellow Auschwitz inmates’ arms.

Serena Thompson is the exec producer for Sky Studios, while Claire Mundell exec produces for Synchronicity Films. Lead writer Jacquelin Perske also exec produces, writing alongside Evan Placey and Gabbie Asher. Morris is story consultant.

Meanwhile, COBRA: Rebellion follows Prime Minister Robert Sutherland and his government as they are faced with a new crisis – a sinister rebellion from within. Produced by New Pictures, part of All3Media, in association with Sky Studios, the series is written and exec produced by Toby Finlay.

Sky has also renewed I Hate Suzie, which was co-created by its star Billie Piper and Succession writer Lucy Prebble, for a three-part special titled I Hate Suzie Too.

In addition to the comedies and dramas, Sky has commissioned four films: After Yang, Poker Face, Aisha and The Independent.

Directed and written by Kogonada and based on the short story by Alexander Weinstein, After Yang tells the story of a family who lose their AI helper and the profound feelings that the experience induces. The feature is produced by Theresa Park, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey.

Poker Face stars Russell Crowe (Gladiator) and is produced by produced by Gary Hamilton (Arclight Films) and Keith Rodger (Fear Of God Films). It follows a group of friends who get together every year for a poker night hosted by tech billionaire Jake Foley (Crowe) in his palatial residence – only this time, they all have a hidden agenda for their host and his money.

Also producing Poker Face are Arclight Films’ Ying Ye and Ryan Hamilton (First Reformed, Hotel Mumbai, Possessor), actor/producer Addam Bramich, Catchlight Studios’ Jeanette Volturno (Whiplash, Get Out) and Jason Clark (Ted, Ted 2, Cosmos A Spacetime Odyssey), as well as Matt Williams (Twist, Killers Anonymous).

Aisha, meanwhile, stars Letitia Wright (Black Panther) as a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland who is floundering in a maze of social services and bureaucracy. Josh O’Connor also stars in the feature, which is produced by Tristan Orpen Lynch, Aoife O’Sullivan, Donna Eperon and Sam Bisbee.

Aisha is exec produced by Hallee Adelman, Ivy Herman, Jenifer Westphal, Joe Plummer, Lance Acord, Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Wendy Neu, William Byerley, George Rush, Alison Thomposon and Mark Gooder. Rose Garnett exec produces for BBC Film and Celine Haddad for Screen Ireland.

Finally, The Independent is a political thriller in which investigative journalist Eli ‘follows the money’ and uncovers a conspiracy that hits closer to home than she first thought. The cast includes Brian Cox, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Cena and Ann Dowd.

The Independent is directed by Amy Rice and written by Evan Parter. Julia Stuart and Laura Grange (Sky), David Robbins, Miron, Michael Arrieta and Marc Danon (Relativity Media) and Blair Ward and Anders Erdén (Orogen Entertainment) exec produce along with Lance Acord, Jackie Kelman Bisbee and Cody Ryder (Park Pictures) and Brian O’Shea and Nat McCormick (The Exchange).

Zai Bennett, MD of content for Sky UK and Ireland, said: “Great stories have the power to help us connect with each other, and at its best entertainment isn’t something we watch, it’s something we feel and experience. That’s why we’re creating and investing in world-class original storytelling to give our customers even more of their favourite shows and films than ever before.

“We’re delighted to be working with some of the best UK and international talent, both on and off screen, to bring these stories to life.”