The Day of the Jackal breaks Sky TV records

The Day of the Jackal has become the biggest new series launch ever on Sky

Sky has announced that The Day of the Jackal has officially become the most successful new series launch in its history, with the first episode drawing an impressive 4.5 million viewers within 26 days of release. Already crowned the biggest Sky Original series ever, the show still has two episodes to air, with the finale set for 12th December.

Data from Barb highlights that seven of Sky’s top ten shows this year were Sky Originals, based on their 28-day series averages*.

2024 has been a landmark year for Sky Original drama, delivering record-breaking performances and unprecedented audience numbers. Blockbusters like The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Sweetpea, and The Day of the Jackal each premiered to viewerships exceeding 2 million.

Sky Originals also achieved several other milestones in 2024:

Highest-rated premium documentary series: The Body Next Door
Biggest theatrical release: Lee
Best comedy launch in three years: Mr Bigstuff
Sky Nature’s largest audience in two years: Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough
Biggest-ever overnight audience for Sky Arts: Portrait Artist of the Year (Season 11).

Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer at Sky, reflected on the year’s success:
“2024 has been an extraordinary year for Sky’s original programming across all genres. With a renewed focus on premium content, we’ve delivered an unmissable slate of high-calibre shows. This year marks our best-performing year for Sky Original drama, a testament to the strength of our programming in an increasingly competitive landscape. We’re thrilled to continue bringing audiences compelling stories, and there’s so much more to come.”

Sky’s standout year concludes with a festive lineup, including:

Bad Tidings, a Christmas special starring Chris McCausland, Lee Mack, and Rebekah Staton
Steven Frayne’s (formerly Dynamo) mind-bending new show Miracles
A hilarious holiday edition of Never Mind the Buzzcocks
A special festive episode of Rob & Romesh vs., featuring the duo’s dive into the world of darts ahead of the World Championship.