Pulling’s Horgan forms scripted prodco

Scriptwriter and performer Sharon Horgan has paired up with the producer of Sky Arts’ series A Young Doctor’s Notebook to head up a UK-based independent prodco.

Merman Films will produce scripts by Horgan, creator of BBC comedy series Pulling, and will work with a roster of other writers, focusing on comedy and drama series and feature films for UK, US and other international markets.

Producer Clelia Mountford will take up the role of MD, while Horgan will be responsible for creative output at the indie, which has scripts in development with the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky in the UK, as well as CBS and HBO in the US.

Merman Films began as part of a coproduction deal with Zodiak Media-owned Bwark, but will now be jointly owned by Horgan and Mountford, and run independently.

Mountford and Horgan met while working together on two seasons of The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret for IFC/Channel 4, which Mountford executive produced and Horgan starred in.

Horgan previously created BBC3 comedy Pulling, which ran for two seasons, while Mountford also produced the actor’s directorial debut, The Week Before Christmas, for Sky’s Little Crackers strand.

Horgan said: “We want to make TV and film that reflects what we love to watch: comedy that can be a little bit grown up and drama that’s not afraid to be funny.”