TV and Film

Murphy`s Law!

The new series of Murphy`s Law is just about due to be broadcast on BBC 1. Jimmy Nesbitt once again plays Tommy Murphy. Although I created and wrote most of the last two series, I`m not involved at all this time round, so I`ve no idea how it has turned out. I often scoff at that term, `musical differences` when bands split up, but whatever the writer`s variation is, that`s what has happened here. I wanted to take it one way, the producers wanted to take it another. Guess who won?

I was a bit pissed off at the time, but on reflection, it`s probably no bad thing – I`d been writing Murphy virtually non-stop for the past three years, and I really needed the break. That`s why the newest title Belfast Confidential is so big and brimful of ideas, the floodgates just opened!

Murphy`s Law US!!

You may have read in the press that Murphy`s Law, which is currently being shown on BBC World in America, was going to be remade in the US with a new star. Well, maybe.

The rights to it were bought by a subsidiary of Disney, but as yet it hasn`t been picked up by any of the networks.

Wild About Harry!!!!

Paramount are keen to remake Wild About Harry as a Hollywood movie! Scala Films, who produced the original movie, are currently trying to sort out the rights with an independent company who have a development deal with the studio. Be great if they do make it, although I understand they`ll be using their own writers. Damn, there goes that Oscar chance again.

Little Fishes

I`ve been developing a sitcom with BBC Comedy called Little Fishes. It`s early days yet, but fingers crossed something will come of it. We staged a reading of the first episode for BBC 1 controller Lorraine Hegessey - with Ardal O`Hanlon and Alastair McGowan in the lead roles, Declan Lowney directing and Rosemary McGowan producing. Next day, Lorraine Hegessey resigned! Can it really have been that bad? I`m currently working on a second script, and a decision on whether to go ahead on the series will be made after I deliver that.