Paramount+ has set Flatshare from London/LA-based Ironbark production and management firm 42 as its third UK scripted original.
Deadline revealed several weeks ago that the six-parter from On the Edge’s Rose Lewenstein was in development with the BBC but the show was unveiled in the past hour as a Paramount+ original and will feature Brave New World’s Jessica Brown Findlay and Master of None’s Anthony Welsh in the lead roles of Tiffany and Leon, alongside the likes of Bart Edwards (The Witcher), Shaqi B Grant (Gangs of London), Shaniqua Okwok (It’s a Sin) and Jonah Hauer-King (World on Fire).
Based on Beth O’Leary’s bestselling novel, Flatshare follows cash-strapped Tiffany and Leon who share a bed but have never met. With neither able to afford to rent their own flat, they decide to time-share a bed as Tiffany spends her days earning minimum wage for minimum appreciation at a clickbait news website and Leon works long night shifts in a hospital.
Lewenstein is lead writer and executive producer on the series, with Peter Cattaneo (The A Word, Rev, The Full Monty) as lead director and executive producer. Joining Lewenstein on the writing team are Sarah Simmonds (Killing Eve, The Irregulars), Ryan Calais Cameron (Typical), and Alex Straker (The Last Kingdom). Chloë Wicks (On the Edge) will direct block two.
Produced in association with Viacom International Studios, the show is Paramount+’s third original to be unveiled since the media giant rebranded from ViacomCBS, following Kenneth Branagh’s A Gentleman in Moscow and a Sexy Beast remake, as it seeks to commission 50 scripted international originals this year.
“Flatshare gives a flavour of the high-quality local content that viewers can look forward to from Paramount+,” said Sebastian Cardwell, Paramount’s Deputy Chief Content Officer, UK, who earlier today unveiled two dramas for Paramount-owned Channel 5.
Executive producers for 42 are Miriam Brent, Rory Aitken and Eleanor Moran. Rhonda Smith is producer.
