Lucky 17 Appoints Head of Scripted

The London-based production company Lucky 17 has appointed Eleanor Lawrence as partner and head of scripted to spearhead its move into original content creation.

In her new role, Lawrence will work closely with co-founders David Geli and Pollyanna McGirr, focusing on the creation of original IP across a range of platforms and broadcasters for both the UTC Artist Management roster and her wider talent network for the next stage of company expansion.

Lawrence joins Lucky 17 from seven years stateside, where she worked as staff writer on projects such as Flack; developed original content with Comedy Central, the Groundlings and The Public Theatre New York; and where she has an ongoing script deal at ABC Studio/Ellen Pompeo’s production company, Calamity Jane, for her original sitcom The Barrenesses. Lawrence’s U.K. credits include Sunshine Simon, Mum’s Army, White Lace and Promises, Soup and Welcome to Rochdale.

Lucky 17 is the sister of the multi-award-winning talent agency UTC Artist Management, part of The UTC Group founded by David Geli and Pollyanna McGirr.

Lawrence said: “My personal experience working in TV development as a female comedy writer-performer has defined my mission to champion diverse talent, develop authored projects and ensure creatives have control over their own content. I am absolutely thrilled to be heading up the scripted department at Lucky 17, especially during such an exciting time for emerging talent. As a partner in this next-generation company, we are fully committed to and passionate about nurturing untold stories from conception to fruition and beyond.”

Pollyanna McGirr said: “Eleanor has one of the most exceptional comedy minds. Her remarkable knowledge and celebrated passion for showcasing underrepresented voices and stories is phenomenal—and totally aligned with The UTC Group ethos to Discover, Develop and Produce next-generation talent.”

David Geli said: “We have huge ambition Lucky 17. We want to showcase unique stories with global reach. Our entrepreneurial approach will cover everything from podcasts to scripted comedies, live show records to short-form branded partnerships, whilst also investing in direct-to-consumer talent centered content. “Lawrence is a hugely exciting and highly creative name in the scripted space and we can’t wait to get moving with our busy slate.”