“I have worked consistently since I was 18 and thought, at the grand old age of 53, that I better get my act together if I want to get some of my passion projects off the ground - less talking, more making them happen.
“I will stay in the creative world - hopefully closely connected to Sky - and am also keen to continue supporting and championing the diversity agenda.”
She led the launch of Sky Atlantic, a channel launched as a home for premium US drama from HBO. The transatlantic relationship between the two broadcasters has since become closer and the pair are now involved in several co-productions.
The success of Sky Atlantic and pressure on Sky Sports from BT has increasingly led BSkyB to emphasise exclusive drama in how it markets its service and invests in content. It is currently advertising based its exclusive deal for ITV’s new premium drama channel, ITV Encore, which is modelled on Sky Atlantic and will go on air in June with the second series of the acclaimed crime drama Broadchurch.
Ms Turner Laing said of Sky Atlantic that it was “amazing what a chance lunch with Charles Schreger at HBO will kick off and start a global trend”.
Jeremy Darroch, BSkyB’s chief executive, who is currently leading a multibillion-pound bid to take over Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia, said their had been a “step change in the scale and ambition of our entertainment offering” under Ms Turner Laing.
He said: "I’m confident that the strong foundations that Sophie has put in place, together with the strong team here at Sky, will enable us to take the business to even greater heights in the future.”
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