Banijay Rights in First-Look Pact with Clearwood

Banijay Rights has signed a first-look development deal with Ellie Wood of the U.K. indie Clearwood Films for scripted series.

The agreement will see the two companies working together to develop and produce TV series for the U.K. and international markets. Wood has worked on award-winning dramas such as Bleak House, The Line of Beauty and Decline and Fall.

The first production to emerge from this deal will be Stonehouse, based on an idea by John Preston. Preston is the author of the novel A Very English Scandal, upon which the recent multi-award-winning, three-part television miniseries was based.

The series is based on the story of politician John Stonehouse, who faked his death in 1974, leaving a pile of clothes on a beach in Miami. It was presumed he had gone swimming and drowned, or possibly been killed by a shark.  Despite the lack of a body being found, obituaries were published. But Stonehouse was in fact en route to Australia to set up a new life with his mistress and secretary, Sheila Buckley.

Wood said, “’I am very excited to be working with the team at Banijay Rights. The company’s experience and global presence will be hugely beneficial in putting us and our forthcoming shows in front of the key international players.”

Caroline Torrance, head of scripted at Banijay Rights, added, “This new partnership further bolsters Banijay’s commitment and expertise in scripted programming, and capitalizes on the continued growth we are witnessing in the drama market. Clearwood Films acts as the perfect partner for Banijay Rights, and we can’t wait to get to work with Ellie to further diversify and expand our scripted offering.”

Preston said: “I’ve always been fascinated by the Stonehouse story. It’s every bit as bizarre as the Jeremy Thorpe affair and similarly tells the tale of an extraordinary character whose misadventures threatened to bring down the government.”