Projector rights deal brings Charlotte Philby spy novels to small screen

UK production company Projector Pictures has secured the rights to a trilogy of spy thrillers written by author and journalist Charlotte Philby, granddaughter of Cold War spy Kim Philby.

The deal covers Part of the Family, Philby’s debut novel that was published by Harper Collins in 2019, as well as last year’s A Double Life and The Second Woman, which published in July this year.

Philby is the granddaughter of Kim Philby, one of the Cambridge Spies and the UK’s most infamous communist double-agent, who defected to the Soviet Union in 1951.

The TV adaptation will draw on elements of all three books to create a returnable drama series with global appeal, titled A Double Life, which will be exec produced by Projector execs Rachel Gesua (The Holiday, Kidnap and Ransom) and Suzi McIntosh (Peaky Blinders, Stella, Inspector George Gently).

It is as-yet unclear whether Projector CEO and actor Trevor Eve will appear in the drama.

“From the moment I opened the book, I knew we had something highly original and special. The blend of espionage thriller with domestic suspense is rich territory for drama and it immediately appealed to us,” said Gesua.

The deal was negotiated by Emily Hayward-Whitlock at The Artists Partnership on behalf of Julia Silk at Charlie Campbell Literary Agents. Projector’s recent credits include ITV’s Kidnap & Ransom and upcoming Channel 5 drama The Holiday, and the company has a first-look deal with All3Media International.