BSkyB (Sky) and Home Box Office (HBO) have entered into a multi-year output deal which will see Sky become the home of HBO programmes in the UK and Ireland. The agreement is part of Sky’s ongoing mission to invest in standout content that differentiates the pay-TV experience and creates more reasons for customers to subscribe.

Under the agreement, all new HBO-commissioned programmes and series will be broadcast exclusively, and in HD, on Sky channels. The first HBO production to be seen on Sky as part of the output deal will be ‘Boardwalk Empire’, the much-anticipated Prohibition-era drama from acclaimed director and Oscar winner Martin Scorsese. With a cast including Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt and Kelly Macdonald, ‘Boardwalk Empire’ is scheduled to make its US debut on HBO in September 2010, with a UK and Ireland premiere on Sky to follow shortly after.

Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include ‘Game of Thrones’, the fantasy drama based on the series of books ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R.R. Martin, and ‘Luck’, executive produced by David Milch and Michael Mann and starring two time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman. In addition, future seasons of existing HBO shows – such as ‘Entourage’ and ‘Big Love’ – will be broadcast exclusively on Sky channels in the UK and Ireland at the conclusion of their current broadcast rights agreements. 

Sky will also offer access to HBO programmes through its on-demand platforms, including the soon-to-launch Sky Anytime+ service.  In addition to availability of the new HBO productions airing exclusively on Sky channels, the on-demand services will offer access to HBO’s library of classic shows such as ‘The Sopranos’  and ‘Six Feet Under’.