Sky focuses on entertainment and sport: Kimi Antonelli is the new brand ambassador

Sky is refocusing on its ‘core’ offering – the areas that have always been considered its key strengths: sport, entertainment and recognisable personalities. And all this follows a clear overarching theme: Sky is seeking to consolidate its position by focusing on strong brands, popular personalities and formats that can thrive across both pay-TV and free-to-air channels. At the presentation of the programming schedules in Milan, Giuseppe De Bellis, Executive Vice President of Sport, News and Entertainment, immediately set out the editorial direction for the coming season: “Our ambition is to tell stories that linger in the memory.” He added: “Storytelling is a wonderful craft, and this year the focus will be even more firmly on reality and on what we see around us.”

It is within this framework that Sky’s new mosaic takes shape. Starting with sport, where the platform is also playing the image card: Andrea ‘Kimi’ Antonelli, the Bologna-born driver, leader of the Formula 1 World Championship and winner of five Grand Prix races this season, will be Sky’s new brand ambassador from the communication campaign airing from the end of August. He will be joined by Alessandro Del Piero. The teaser shown during the event places them in the now-famous Sky block of flats: Antonelli arrives as the new tenant and is welcomed by his ‘neighbour’ Del Piero whilst he unpacks his boxes.

On the entertainment front, the season will kick off straight after the summer. On Sunday 6 September, Bruno Barbieri will return with “4 Hotel”. Then, from 10 September, it’s time for “X Factor”, with Giorgia confirmed as presenter and a panel of judges comprising Francesco Gabbani, Jake La Furia, Paola Iezzi and newcomer Irama.

In December, it will be the turn of “MasterChef Italia”, featuring the trio of Bruno Barbieri, Antonino Cannavacciuolo and Giorgio Locatelli. Then comes “4 Ristoranti” with Alessandro Borghese and, in the new year, “Pechino Express” with Costantino della Gherardesca.

The most significant development, however, is set for spring 2027: “Taste of Italy”, a new programme featuring Cannavacciuolo, Chiara Pavan and Anna Zhang. It will be a road trip through Italy’s regions and traditional recipes, with the aim of crowning the best amateur chefs.