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.
The production company behind the pilot is Warner Bros Television, while the executive producer attached to the project is Jeff Astrof. His previous credits have included Friends, Shit My Dad Says and Grounded For Life.
Marsh told Mumbrella that he remained cautious about the likelihood of the show getting on air. He said: “On one level it’s exciting but on another it’s about as likely that I’ll replace Martin Sorrell at WPP as it is the show actually gets to air in America. We’re only at stage eight of a 100 stage process. Better than stage one I suppose but there’s still a very long way to go.”
Marsh chats to Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes earlier this year:
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Well, congratulations to Nigel. The big success here on getting this far is having a proven market that makes it attractive for a channel to invest. Nice one.
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Awesome news! Nigel is a great guy and deserves it all!
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He is such a nice chap, I wonder what the title of his book will be when he turns 60
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Woo hoo! Go Nigel! Couldn’t happen to a better chap!
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Hi Macsmutterings, my wife says it will be “Sad, Sixty and Single” if I don’t get a proper job soon!
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Incredible news. Well done Nigel.
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That’s very exciting.
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