Tuesday 6th May 2014
Yesterday, part of UKTV's multi-award winning network of ten channels and Britain's biggest factual channel, today announced a co-production deal with Sky Vision Productions for a new series called Weekend Warriors.
This 6 x 60' series is a glorious celebration of British eccentricity, visiting the little-known world of the battle re-enactors. These men and women spend their weekends living in the past, as Roundheads, Cavaliers, Roman legionnaires, maids in distress, WWII soldiers or even Vikings. They bring to life the most famous battles in history, which are lovingly and accurately portrayed in the fields and villages of the UK.
Adrian Wills, General Manager of Yesterday said,
Weekend Warriors takes a totally immersive look at life on the battlefield during some of the most famous wars in history through the eyes of the battle re-enactors. Every weekend they step into the clothes of the ordinary soldier, learn to use their equipment, and fight their fights to re-live some of the most iconic conflicts in history. This series will give Yesterday viewers the most comprehensive look at warfare though the ultimate living historians.
These astonishing and impressive displays are put on by dedicated and passionate characters, and each episode will focus on a different group of re-enactors as they prepare for their weekend-long battle. One episode follows the re-enactment of the D-Day Normandy Landings which attracts over 1000 people from all over Europe. Another episode focuses on the Roman 'Battle of Mount Badon' a bloody clash with the Saxons that fueled the legends of King Arthur.
Adrian Wills ordered the new series and the deal was negotiated by UKTV's Acquisitions and Co-Production Manager, Emma Sparks. The series is planned for Q4 2014.
Emma Sparks commented,
We're delighted to be working with Sky Vision Productions on a series which will appeal to viewers fascinated by war and history and also those intrigued by the characters of the battle re-enactors. Audiences will be swept along by the passion and knowledge of the Weekend Warriors.
Sky Vision Productions Director of Programming and Development, Danny Tipping, added,
We're delighted to be exploring these incredible battles with some of the country's most passionate and knowledgeable historians for Yesterday. We're taking the audience right to history's frontlines and into battle with us.
Yesterday is the home of fascinating factual stories, with the channel currently reaching 12.88 million viewers a month. Other highlights in the 2014 schedule include Inquisition, WWII Air Crash Investigators, Black Ops, Ancient Black Ops and a second series of Forbidden History with Jamie Theakston.
For more information please contact:
Emily Jones, Publicist
About Yesterday (Freeview 19, Sky 537, Virgin 203)
Showcasing UK premiere series such as Raiders of the Lost Past, Forbidden History, and Museum Secrets. Yesterday is the home of fascinating factual stories. The channel features dynamic history and science-inspired series such as Perfect Storms: Disasters that Changed the World, and programmes which challenge expectations including CIA Declassified. Ancient history is also featured in series including Ancient Black Ops and Medieval Dead, plus modern conflict in shows such as Black Ops.
About UKTV
UKTV is the multi-award winning media company that reaches over 42 million viewers per month.
UKTV¹s ten imaginative channel brands - Watch, Dave, Gold, Alibi, Eden, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home and Good Food - include the most watched non-PSB channel, the most watched channel in the Factual genre and the most watched channels in the Lifestyle genre (Pay and Free). The company's most recent financial results showed a record-breaking year-end revenue of £262m, and operating profit at £71m.
UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC and Channel 4 content, and embracing technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT TV, TalkTalk, YouView, plus direct On Demand digital services. The network distributes its highly valued programmes to 200 territories around the world and supplies Sky with more hours of HD content than anyone else.
Now celebrating its 21st year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.
corporate.uktv.co.uk / pressoffice.uktv.co.uk / @uktv_press
About Sky Vision Productions
Sky Vision Productions is renowned for its specialist factual and factual entertainment programming and forms part of Sky Vision, the international distribution arm of BSkyB.
Launched in 2012, the company works closely with the sales team at Sky Vision and the commissioning team at Sky to produce and co-produce original programming for the international broadcast industry. Sky Vision Productions also produces TV shows for the world's leading broadcast organisations, including Sky, PBS, National Geographic Channels, History Channel, Discovery Networks, UKTV & AETN.
Recent collaborations with partner company, Sky News, have resulted in a series of fast-turnaround documentaries focusing on key events, including Mandela - the Struggle is My Life (produced for PBS & Sky 1 HD), Typhoon Haiyan: Eye of the Storm (produced for the History Channel and Sky 1 HD) and Hell and High Water: Superstorm 2013 (History Channel US and Sky 1 HD).