Sister options rights to The Split scribe Abi Morgan’s This is Not a Pity Memoir

Chernobyl and Gangs of London producer Sister has optioned the rights to adapt the memoirs of The Split and Sex Traffic writer Abi Morgan for television.

Abi Morgan (photo: Ruth Crafer)

This is Not a Pity Memoir has made The Sunday Times bestseller list and received international acclaim for Morgan’s account of her family life dealing with her husband’s multiple sclerosis plus her own breast cancer just as the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

The award-winning playwright and screenwriter, whose other credits include The Iron Lady, Suffragette and Brick Lane, is a longtime collaborator with Sister co-founder Jane Feathersone and will adapt the memoir herself.

The story is about love and grief but also the eternal promise of hope and a reminder that, even in the worst times, there is light ahead.

“Working with Jane and Sister over the last few tumultuous years, they have been my running partners, given a unique birds’ eye view on the unfolding drama,” said Morgan. “There is no one else I would trust to help bring the deeply personal This is Not a Pity Memoir to the screen.”

Featherstone said: “Abi has such an extraordinary gift for words, so while it should be absolutely no surprise that her memoir is such a beautiful and powerful book, it still stunned me. We’ve worked together for many years but her incredible strength in these last few, very challenging ones, has been deeply inspirational. I feel truly privileged to be able to work with her to bring this very personal story to the screen.”

This is Not a Pity Memoir will be coproduced with Little Chick, with Featherstone and Morgan exec producing. Global rights are handled by 42.