Cameron Roach lands top Sky drama job

Cameron Roach has been promoted to Sky’s director of drama and unveiled two dramas for Sky 1 and Sky Atlantic.

Anne Mensah’s former second-in-command, who has been with the business since 2013, has been handed the top job after his former boss left to join Netflix late last year.

Roach will retain his role as head of fledgling production hub Sky Studios, alongside his director of drama duties.

During his time at Sky, Roach has worked across a slate which includes Britannia, Bulletproof, Fortitude, Riviera and Tin Star. He reports to Sky content managing director Gary Davey, who said Roach has a “wealth of experience”.

“He is a brilliant creative leader who will continue to define our vision for original dramas,” added Davey.

Roach has also unveiled his debut orders – a period drama from Warp Films and futuristic adventure series from Moonage Pictures.

Warp’s Little Birds is a 6 x 60-minute series for Sky Atlantic directed by Stacie Passon (Billions, House of Cards) and written by Sophia Al-Maria (The Girl Who Fell to Earth).

Set in Tangier in 1955, the show follows the culture shock experienced by American debutante Lucy, played by Juno Temple, after arriving in the colonial outpost.

Having travelled to the Moroccan port to marry, her future is thrown into turmoil after being spurned by her fiancée and she then becomes embroiled with several colourful characters, including a local dominatrix and Egyptian aristocrat.

The series is based on a classic short story by Anais Nin, published in 1979. Warp’s Ruth McCance and Peter Carlton will exec-produce with distribution handled by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

Meanwhile, Sky 1 is heading into the 23rd century with Moonage Pictures and Motion Content Group’s Intergalactic, produced in association with Tiger Aspect.

Written by Julie Gearey, who is responsible for Prisoners’ Wives and Cuffs, the 10-parter will follow a group of young female criminals who escape imprisonment and go on the run together.

Moonage’s Will Gould and Tiger Aspect’s Iona Vrolyk will exec produce with Gearey, alongside Motion Content Group’s Richard Foster and Tony Moulsdale. Other execs include Moonage’s Frith Tiplady and Matthew Read.

Sky Vision and Motion Content Group will share the distribution rights.

Roach said that the creative gulf between the series reflected the extent of his ambition.

“By putting viewers at the heart of our commissioning strategy I truly believe that we are uniquely placed as a broadcaster to encourage creative talent to bring us their boldest and most innovative ideas,” he added.