SkyShowtime Could Shut Down as Owners Review Future
SkyShowtime, the streaming service watched in more than 20 European territories, could shut down.
Owners Comcast and Paramount Skydance have started a review of strategic options for the business, including a possible wind down, meaning a phased closure. Variety reported the development on 14 September 2026, citing a letter from the SkyShowtime board to chief executive Monty Sarhan.
The letter states that a review has begun and that closure is one of the options on the table. It also states that no decisions have been made and all options remain under consideration. Sarhan shared the letter with company staff.
For viewers, this means no immediate change. The service continues to operate as normal for customers and partners while the review takes place, according to the board's message.
SkyShowtime is a joint venture, meaning it is jointly owned by two companies, in this case Comcast and Paramount Skydance. It launched in late 2022 and rolled out across more than 20 European territories. The service combines programmes and films from Peacock, Paramount+ and Sky in one offering.
The idea was first revealed in 2021 by Comcast and ViacomCBS, the company now known as Paramount Skydance after later corporate changes. Sarhan, a former Epix executive, was appointed as chief executive in January 2022 to lead the soon-to-launch service, as reported by Deadline. The team was then built out with hires from rivals, including executives from HBO Max and Walt Disney to lead strategy and legal.
In its early years the streamer looked for ways to stand out on catalogue and price. In January 2023 it struck a content deal covering 21 HBO Max Europe shows, bringing titles such as Beforeigners and Lust to the platform. Sarhan later spoke about holding prices down and the potential for more bundling with other services.
That included a cheaper ad-supported tier, meaning a lower-priced subscription that carries adverts. He discussed the plan in interviews in 2023 and 2024 as the service tried to organise its place in a crowded European market.
No timetable has been given for the review. The board has said only that the process is under way and that customers and partners will continue to be served in the meantime.
