Friday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Eddie Falco drama lands at Fox 

Fox has greenlit a character-driven legal drama starring four-time Emmy winner Edie Falco (The Sopranos).

The Sopranos star plays the title role in Katie Greaves (w/t), which hails from Fox Entertainment Studios, writer and executive producer Sharr White (Palm Royale), and Ridley Scott and his Scott Free Productions.

The series follows a whip-smart and fiercely committed attorney who stepped away from her high-powered role to raise her granddaughters after a devastating personal tragedy.

It has been slated to debut during Fox's 2027-28 season, and is being EP'd by Scott, David W. Zucker (The Good Wife) and Falco. Worldwide distribution is by Fox Entertainment Global.

WTFN names development chief 

Australian indie WTFN has promoted Michael McDermott to the newly created role of head of development.

McDermott joined WTFN in 2020 as a development researcher and has worked as a producer on titles including The Hunters and Healthy, Wealthy & Wise.

He will work closely with businesses across the wider WTFN Group, including digital content company Radar, to explore how ideas and IP can be developed for different platforms and audiences.

The move came after local broadcaster Nine commissioned factual series Police Australia, which was developed and cast by McDermott.

Doctor Who tender unveiled

The BBC has confirmed Doctor Who will return in either 2028 or 2029, and will likely move away from its long-established showrunner model.

Having been helmed by Bad Wolf and Russell T Davies for the past two series, it emerged in June that the sci-fi drama would go out to competitive tender, while the planned Christmas special would be canned.

A tender brief revealed that initial pitches do not have to formally attach a writer, while production could move away from Wales, where it has been based since 2005 – although the brief says the nation is the preferred location.

Doctor Who has operated under the showrunner model since its 2005 revival, with Russell T Davies the first to step into the role, followed by Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall before Davies’ return in 2023.