WWE Smackdown to broadcast live on Sky Sports every Tuesday from July 19

World Wrestling Entertainment’s number two show, Smackdown, is to be broadcast live every Tuesday on Sky Sports.

The WWE has announced the show, which is currently taped on Tuesday nights and played out on Thursdays in the States and the UK, will begin broadcasting live from July 19, 2016.

Smackdown will be broadcast every week at 1am, meaning Sky Sports will show five live hours of WWE programming a week, including the three-hour editions of Raw every Monday night at 1am, with each show featuring a distinct cast, unique storylines and a dedicated writing team.

“We are delighted that WWE, one of our longest standing partners, will be broadcasting Smackdown live and Sky Sports will be broadcasting this, across our platforms and services, to our customers live on a Tuesday night,” said Barney Francis, Managing Director, Sky Sports.

“Alongside live coverage of RAW on Mondays, this further strengthens Sky Sports as the home of WWE in the UK and Ireland. Viewers will also be able to keep up with WWE content via multiple repeat broadcasts and across catch up services.”

Sky Sports broadcasts more than 20 hours of WWE programming per week, including WWE Main Event and WWE Experience.

Sky Sports Box Office also features monthly pay-per-view events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble and Survivor Series.

“WWE’s flagship programs will both leverage the incredible depth of our talent roster, distinct storylines and the unpredictable nature of live TV,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon.

“This move will undoubtedly build more excitement and deepen engagement with our fans around the world.”

WWE programming has appeared on Sky TV since 1989 and WWE programmes regularly rank amongst the top 10 shows across Sky Sports channels.