Nigel Marsh’s Fat Forty and Fired gets US pilot

Former Australian adman Nigel Marsh is on the verge of seeing his book Fat Forty and Fired turned into a sitcom on US TV giant ABC.

The network has ordered a “put pilot” of the show, reports US site Deadline Hollywood. A put pilot virtually guarantees that the show will go to air because it comes with financial penalties for the broadcaster if it is not aired.

Marsh – whose agency stints have included running Leo Burnett and being CEO of Y&R Brands – wrote the book about his experiences after after losing his job. The success of the book saw him write follow ups including Overworked and Underlaid and more recently Fit Fifty and Fired Up. He has also developed a successful speaking career.

Shows currently on the ABC include Revenge, Last Man Standing and Once Upon A Time. Recent hits have also included Desperate Housewives, Lost and Grey’s Anatomy.