The fifth season of Mad Men will debut in the UK just two days after its US premiere.

The AMC drama – which stars Jon Hamm and Christina Hendricks – will air on Sky Atlantic from March 27.

The new run will begin with two-hour premiere ‘A Little Kiss’, penned by series creator Matthew Weiner.

“There’s a time jump,” said Weiner. “There are some new people. Changes have happened off screen, and the audience will have to catch up with that. Even though Don (Hamm) ended up making this overture to Megan (Jessica Paré), and the audience felt sort of peculiar about it, so did the people in the office. That’s something that we play on.”

Weiner previously hinted that future episodes will include “a feeling of being in the midst of change”.

“There’s this sensation, which I think people have right now… there is just so much change going on,” the showrunner explained. “I don’t know if anybody else identifies with that, but that’s a big part of the season. Just trying to hold on.”

Following the addition of Sky Atlantic to Sky Go this week, customers will also be able to watch the new Mad Men episodes on an iPad and selected smartphones.

Jon Hamm will direct the third episode of the new season, while his co-star John Slatterywill also direct several instalments.

Mad Men returns to the UK on Tuesday, March 27 at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.

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On being drawn to husband Geoffrey Arend:
“Geoffrey walked in and I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’ He had amazing hair and was all dishevelled – he was running late and everyone was waiting for him. He just came in with this very high energy. He was just charming, funny and very magnetic. I got his number that night under the pretence of, ‘We could just be friends.’ And of course I immediately went home and Googled him.”

On her husband finding her pin-up image as ‘funny’:
“It’s incredibly flattering and surprising, and I didn’t think for a second when I started Mad Men that people would talk about me as being sexy or a pin up. My husband has a good laugh about it, of course.”

On her definition of sexy:
“Sexiness is about confidence and individuality. I can’t keep my eyes off the women you see in cities like London, New York and Paris – the way they carry themselves and put themselves together are always so unique. Sexiness is about being an individual and having conviction about what that is.”

The issus is hitting newsstands today (February 2)!

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[003] Photoshoot & Portrait Sessions > Photoshoots > Session #68

The 36-year-old reveals that she’s not at all like feisty character Joan from the hit show about a Sixties ad agency in New York.

“All the mannerisms, the way that I become Joan – my voice changes a little bit, the walk changes a little bit and the way I use my handshake changes a little bit so it just happens when I go to work,” she says.

“I’m not like that at home. I get asked so much about the walk but it’s not me.”

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In a month’s time, you’ll thrill to the Christina Hendricks cover story in the March issue of BlackBook. But meanwhile, here’s a little flash of what’s to come.

Ms. Hendricks will soon sail the seas of Madison Avenue once again in the new season of Mad Men, so it’s only fitting for this photoshoot that she emerges from the waves as every red-blooded male’s personal Venus. Lushly shot by master lensman Kurt Iswarienko, the pictorial accompanies Claire Bidwell Smith’s conversation with the sultry star. What’s on her mind? “I’m a very comfortable naked person,” Hendricks declares. “Not in front of other people, but at home and in front of my husband, I feel good not wearing clothes.”

Indeed. And incidentally, Christina‘s current favorite place to dine in LA is Dusty’s Bistro. Perhaps throw back a few mimosas there of an evening, and see who sashays in the door.

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[001] Photoshoot & Portrait Sessions > Session #67

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“You know, I always go back to Season 1, and I think it must be because it was all so new and fresh. There are so many wonderful episodes, but one of my favorite Joan episodes would be ‘Babylon‘ in Season 1, which has a lot of the relationship with Roger and he gives her the birdcage. And I really like the image of the girls putting on the lipstick and the guys on the opposite side … I remember getting that script and saying, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to do this!’ and I still feel that energy when I see that episode.”

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[001] Public Appearances > 2012 > January 22: CAA Party In Association With Sheets Energy – 2012 Park City
[010] Public Appearances > 2012 > January 23: Nintendo 3DS Experience Lounge – Day 4 – 2012 Park City

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[003] Public Appearances > 2012 > January 14: TCA Winter Press Tour – Cocktail Reception