ITV

Tag: Keren Margalit

  • Drama revolving around autism wins attention – and a place in Cannes

    Drama revolving around autism wins attention – and a place in Cannes

    MUMBAI: The A Word, a series revolving around autism. by Fifty Fathoms and Keshet International and aired on BBC One on 22 March at 9.00 pm claimed a viewership of an average 4.7 million viewers which went up to 5 million in the final 15 minutes.

    The numbers were double that of the competition on ITV1 and Channel 4 and 1.2% above the average annual share for the slot. It is based on the original Israeli drama Yellow Peppers by Keren Margalit who is also executive producer on the UK series.

    Directed by Peter Cattaneo and written by Peter Bowker, the series has also been selected as one of the 12 high-end drama series to make an international debut at the inaugural MIP Drama screenings on 3 April. The series will be the first of all the dramas to debut at JW Marriot Hotel in Cannes from 10.10 am.

    The impact of the premiere was also demonstrated through social media activity which revealed a nationwide conversation about viewers’ emotional response to the series, which was also trending on Twitter in the United Kingdom.

    Bowker is a multiple BAFTA winner and Golden Globe nominee (Marvellous, Blackpool.) Cattaneo is an Oscar nominee and BAFTA winner (The Full Monty Rev).

    The A Word is a smart, contemporary drama about a messy, extended family with Joe, a child with autism, which is unable to communicate because of a gulf between their deepest feelings and how they express them.

    Alison played by Morven Christie and Paul Hughes enacted by Lee Ingleby are a mid-30s couple building a life in the Lake District for themselves and their two children. They live in close proximity to their extended family which includes Nicola played by Vinette Robinson and Steve enacted by Greg McHugh who are grappling with unfaithfulness in their marriage. Maurice played by Chris Eccleston plays a recent widower who is owner of the family brewery.

  • Drama revolving around autism wins attention – and a place in Cannes

    Drama revolving around autism wins attention – and a place in Cannes

    MUMBAI: The A Word, a series revolving around autism. by Fifty Fathoms and Keshet International and aired on BBC One on 22 March at 9.00 pm claimed a viewership of an average 4.7 million viewers which went up to 5 million in the final 15 minutes.

    The numbers were double that of the competition on ITV1 and Channel 4 and 1.2% above the average annual share for the slot. It is based on the original Israeli drama Yellow Peppers by Keren Margalit who is also executive producer on the UK series.

    Directed by Peter Cattaneo and written by Peter Bowker, the series has also been selected as one of the 12 high-end drama series to make an international debut at the inaugural MIP Drama screenings on 3 April. The series will be the first of all the dramas to debut at JW Marriot Hotel in Cannes from 10.10 am.

    The impact of the premiere was also demonstrated through social media activity which revealed a nationwide conversation about viewers’ emotional response to the series, which was also trending on Twitter in the United Kingdom.

    Bowker is a multiple BAFTA winner and Golden Globe nominee (Marvellous, Blackpool.) Cattaneo is an Oscar nominee and BAFTA winner (The Full Monty Rev).

    The A Word is a smart, contemporary drama about a messy, extended family with Joe, a child with autism, which is unable to communicate because of a gulf between their deepest feelings and how they express them.

    Alison played by Morven Christie and Paul Hughes enacted by Lee Ingleby are a mid-30s couple building a life in the Lake District for themselves and their two children. They live in close proximity to their extended family which includes Nicola played by Vinette Robinson and Steve enacted by Greg McHugh who are grappling with unfaithfulness in their marriage. Maurice played by Chris Eccleston plays a recent widower who is owner of the family brewery.

  • BBC One commissions ‘The A Word’

    BBC One commissions ‘The A Word’

    MUMBAI: Ben Stephenson, BBC Controller: Drama Commissioning has announced the commission of The A Word, a six part drama series to be co-produced by Fifty Fathoms Productions, Tiger Aspect Productions and Keshet UK.

    The A Word is based on the Keshet International and July August Productions’ series and drama format which was written and created by Keren Margalit. The A Word has been developed and written for BBC1 by Peter Bowker (Marvellous, Occupation, Blackpool).

    The A Word is the story of the Scott family who work and love and fight like every other family. Then their youngest son is diagnosed with autism and they don’t feel like every other family anymore. They realise that if their son is ever going to communicate, they are going to have to learn how to communicate themselves.  It’s a funny and thought-provoking series about parenthood and childhood and what it is like to have a child who fails to fit the mould.

    The A Word will be Executive Produced for Fifty Fathoms and Tiger Aspect by Patrick Spence and Peter Bowker. Executive Producers for Keshet are Sara Johnson, Avi Nir and Keren Margalit. Lucy Richer will Executive Produce for BBC One.

    Peter Bowker said, “I loved the original series and wanted to honour its spirit while writing something new.  We have the opportunity here to make something funny, tough, realistic and inventive about contemporary family life and autism. In a society where imperfection increasingly comes with blame attached it seems timely to look at how autism is regarded both within a family and the wider community – and to give some insight into how that experience might be for the child on the autistic spectrum.  It’s a drama full of ideas – about parenthood, about disability, about communication, about community – and will emphatically engage an audience whatever their experience of the subject”.

    Sara Johnson, Head of Drama and Co-productions at Keshet UK, added, “The A Word is so close to our hearts at Keshet, Keren Margalit’s original version is a beautiful series and a story which we are so proud and excited to share with the world. We couldn’t be happier to have found the ideal partners to do this in the brilliant Peter Bowker, along with Fifty Fathoms under the capable lead of Patrick Spence, and the perfect home on the BBC1 platform.”

    Filming will commence in summer 2015.  Further production and cast credits will follow.  A TX in early 2016 is currently anticipated.