Sky Arts announces Christmas specials including Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet, The Story of Panto with Gyles Brandreth, and Edward ScissorhandsThursday 3 October 2024
Edward Scissorhands: Matthew Bourne's dance version of Tim Burton's classic
The Story of Panto with Gyles Brandreth
Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet
Edward Scissorhands: Matthew Bourne's dance version of Tim Burton's classic
The Story of Panto with Gyles Brandreth
A trio of festive specials are on their way to Sky Arts, spanning the quintessentially British world of the pantomime, Tchaikovsky's globally renowned Nutcracker, and Matthew Bourne's critically acclaimed dance production of Tim Burton favourite, Edward Scissorhands.
Phil Edgar Jones, Executive Director of Unscripted Originals at Sky, said: We have lined up the most Christmassy Christmas for our Sky Arts audience this festive season, with three special trips to the theatre for the very best in dance with a brand new Nutracker from English National Ballet; an innovative movie-to-dance adaptation of Edward Scissorhands courtesy of Matthew Bourne, and Gyles Brandreth's revealing tour of the world of pantomime. The back end of a horse was never so appealing.
This Christmas, Sky Arts goes behind the curtain with English National Ballet and their world premiere of a brand new production of Nutcracker. Having performed a version of the festive ballet every year since it was founded, this year sees the Company take a fresh approach, and the pressure is on to wow audiences more than ever before.
This new series, Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet showcases what it takes to re-invent a globally renowned classic, seen through the eyes of all the key departments involved. Join the Company's own Artistic Director and Choreographer, Aaron S. Watkin, and Olivier Award-winning Choreographer, Arielle Smith, as well Designer, Dick Bird, the principal dancers, musicians, Music Director and costumiers as they unpack their craft and prepare to stage this iconic ballet. Two documentaries follow the meticulous preparations and the all-important rehearsals which build to the opening night. Audiences can then tune in to the full performance of Nutcracker, captured in all its magic at the London Coliseum.
English National Ballet's Artistic Director and joint Choreographer of Nutcracker, Aaron S. Watkin, said: Nutcracker holds a special place in English National Ballet's history and in the hearts of our audiences. In 1950, we were one of the first UK companies to introduce the production into our repertoire and we have performed a version every year since. It's wonderful to be able to open up the world of ballet as we work to bring new magic and wonder to this much-loved piece, offering real insight into what happens behind-the-scenes as a new production makes its way to the stage.
For many of us, a trip to the pantomime is our very first experience of live theatre and sparks a lifelong love-affair with the magic of performance. New one-off special, The Story of Panto with Gyles Brandreth, will see the author, broadcaster and all-round entertainer reveal some of the surprising origins of this uniquely British art-form.
Panto-aficionado Gyles will immerse himself in every aspect of the genre, from its roots in commedia dell'arte and Victorian music hall to scene painting, slapstick and the making of a pantomime dame. He'll be joined on his merry way (oh yes he will!) by pantomime experts including Julian Clary and Gary Wilmot, celebrating the panto in all its vibrant, joyful glory.
Gyles Brandreth said: Pantomime is the only uniquely British art-form and were telling the story of its past, present and future, exploring the state of panto in 2024 from the village hall to the London Palladium. Do join us!"
Also coming to Sky Arts this Christmas is Edward Scissorhands: Matthew Bourne's magical dance production based on Tim Burton's classic film. Captivating audiences since its premiere in 2005, the production features the hauntingly beautiful music of Danny Elfman and Terry Davies, and has been praised for its wit, inventiveness, and emotional depth. Filmed live in March 2024 at the Wales Millenium Centre in Cardiff, this arresting production tells the bittersweet story of an incomplete boy left alone in a strange new world.
Sky Arts programmes are commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, Executive Director of Unscripted Originals at Sky for C cile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios & Chief Content Officer for Sky.
Notes to Editors
Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet (2x60, 1x120)
TX: Weekly from 9 December
Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet is produced by Cornerstone Studios. Beren Money serves as Executive Producer, with Maureen MacPhee as Director of Production. The Commissioning Editor for Sky is Benedetta Pinelli.
For more information, please contact Molly.Wyatt@sky.uk
The Story of Panto (1x60)
TX: 16 December
The Story of Panto is produced by Factory Films. The Executive Producers are Lisa Fairbank and Julie Heathcote. The Commissioning Editor for Sky is Leanne Cosby.
For more information, please contact Lucy.Butterfield@sky.uk
Edward Scissorhands: Matthew Bourne's dance version of Tim Burton's classic (1x95)
TX: Coming this Christmas
For more information, please contact Oyinlola.Oyegunle@sky.uk
About Sky ArtsSky Arts exists to bring more art to more people across the UK. In 2020, with the creative industries under serious threat, we threw open our doors to make the channel free for everyone to watch. We've redoubled our mission to increase access to the arts and we're committed to getting everyone involved. The fact is, we need the arts like never before, and Sky Arts brings them straigh
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
07/05/2026
January 8, 2024
Colorfront (colorfront.com), a leader in high-performance, on-s...
07/05/2026
February 9, 2024
Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning pioneer i...
07/05/2026
March 20, 2024
NAB 2024, Las Vegas - Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-awa...
07/05/2026
April 1, 2025
CINEMACON, APRIL 1, 2025 - Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning developer of high-performance dailies/transcoding/streaming syste...
07/05/2026
June 15, 2025
Colorfront (colorfront.com), an Academy and Emmy Award-winning de...
07/05/2026
June 15, 2025
Colorfront participated in the ICTA Barcelona Cinema Technology Summit on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Held at The Phenomena Experience, the event feat...
07/05/2026
July 1, 2025
Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning developer of high-performance dailies/transcoding/streaming systems for motion pictures, OTT,...
07/05/2026
July 1, 2025
Passion and dedication will take you places. Come with us on a short trip to the heart of India, where Annapurna Studios is living-up to the inspi...
07/05/2026
July 3, 2025
Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning developer of high-performance dailies/transcoding/streaming systems for motion pictures, OTT,...
07/05/2026
September 1, 2025
IBC 2025, Amsterdam - Colorfront (colorfront.com) - the Acade...
07/05/2026
April 17, 2026
LOS ANGELES - April 17, 2026 - Colorfront today announced Colorf...
07/05/2026
April 23, 2026
NAB 2026, Las Vegas - the Academy and Emmy Award-winning develop...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Another year, and more proof that Asia continues to shape some of the world's most exciting new sounds. This year's RADAR artists draw from deep local r...
05/05/2026
The Austin City Limits Music Fest 2026 lineup just dropped, and this year, Spoti...
05/05/2026
New drum machine book campaign incoming
Bjooks have announced that during Superbooth 2026, they will be launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the product...
05/05/2026
Flagship all-in-one production bundle updated
The latest version of Native Instruments' flagship virtual instrument and plug-in bundle has just been ann...
05/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host RF Testing Innovations Forum 2026, helping design engine...
05/05/2026
The company grew by 7.6% in net revenue and 16.3% in EBITDA, achieving a 33% inc...
05/05/2026
FOX Sports, FOX One and Indeed Launch Nationwide Search for FOX One Chief World...
04/05/2026
just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026 are available to download!
More Details:At NAB 2026, ToolsOnAir showcased just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026, ...
04/05/2026
just:in mac pro 2026 - The Next Level of Professional Recording on macOS
More Details:The headline innovation in just:in mac pro 2026 is the new Auto format si...
04/05/2026
Last week, guests gathered in New York City for On Air, In Style: An Evening with Spotify-a night of conversation, culture, and connection celebrating the inter...
04/05/2026
New music & post-production features added
Avid's latest DAW update delivers an array of helpful features aimed at both music and post-production users,...
03/05/2026
Polysynth now features Mutable Instruments' macro oscillators
Melbourne Instruments have just released a free firmware update that brings the engine beh...
02/05/2026
Versatile re-amping tool announced
Warm Audio are best known for their recreations of sought-after vintage studio gear, but their latest release brings a ne...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
Florals for spring? Groundbreaking. But a playlist that tells you which The Devi...
01/05/2026
One of the world's biggest popstars is headed to El Cl sico. Later this mont...
01/05/2026
Limited-edition model celebrates 15th anniversary
Heritage Audio's range of monitor controllers has just gained a new member, the Baby RAM Black Edition...
01/05/2026
Dumble recreation now available as UAD plug-in
Along with their renowned processing plug-ins, Universal Audio have been steadily introducing emulations of c...
01/05/2026
We were lucky enough to benefit from huge generosity, so we now have a fantastic Quantum 338T and are developing a cutting-edge d&b loudspeaker system, he expa...
01/05/2026
The first Quantum console purchase made by the company was a Quantum 338 in September 2020. Since then, the company has leveraged Quantum power to steadily expa...
Sky Arts announces Christmas specials including Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet, The Story of Panto with Gyles Brandreth, and Edward ScissorhandsThursday 3 October 2024
