Ben Stephenson’s Poison Pen Studios label, backed by ITV Studios, has tapped Fern McCauley as head of development, effective immediately.
McCauley moves over from a post as head of IP acquisitions. The move comes as the company prepares for the launch of two high-profile series on ITV: Adultery and The Dark. Working with Stephenson, she will develop scripted series in the U.K. and the U.S.
“We are now four years into Poison Pen, and with two shows under our belt, I’m excited to have Fern at the helm of development,” Stephenson said. “We already have a bunch of development at FX, HBO, BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon, and Sky, and I’m looking forward to working with Fern across our U.K. and U.S. slates to find more poppy, authored, page-turning series for both markets. Fern is an incredible and kind executive with impeccable taste, and I’m excited to start this new chapter.”
McCauley added, “Heading up IP acquisitions for Poison Pen has been an amazing experience, especially seeing our first book-to-TV adaptation, The Dark, come to fruition so quickly. I’m delighted to take on the head of development role, helping guide Poison Pen into its next phase. Ben is a brilliant, supportive, and fun person to work for who shares my passion for finding bold stories for big audiences. We have an incredibly exciting slate of screenwriters and IP, and I look forward to getting our projects onto TV screens internationally.”
