As comedy development consultant

Katy Brand has moved into TV production, joining Sharon Horgan’s production company Merman as a comedy development consultant. 

But she will continue to perform live, with a show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe about her years as a teenage Christian fundamentalist.

Merman, which Horgan co-founded with producer Clelia Mountford, is currently working on comedy pilot The Circuit for Channel 4 that will reunite Horgan with her Pulling co-writer Dennis Kelly and the BBC Two pilot Motherland, co-produced with Graham Linehan’s Delightful Industries. 

Also, the company’s HBO series Divorce, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, is set to air later this year, and it recently signed a development deal with Sky Vision on three scripted projects. 

Brand’s appointment comes as Merman also announced a new head of drama development. Daniel Walker was previously at production company 42, where his credits include  script editing the BBC’s new adaptation of Watership Down.

Mountford said their new recruits were ‘both incredibly talented and inspiring to work around’.

Published: 4 May 2016