Series created by David Shore and Freddie Highmore inspired by Irish podcast
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has made its first co-commission with Canada’s Bell Media on a drama inspired by an Irish podcast and created by The Good Doctor duo David Shore and Freddie Highmore.
I’m Not Here to Hurt You was unveiled at SPT’s LA Screenings event on Sunday and will debut on Bell’s local streamer Crave. It is being produced by Blink49 Studios, with SPT handling US and international sales.
The series tracks how an upstanding family man spirals into a life of crime after killing someone in a bicycle accident, driven by the noble but futile goal of never hurting anyone ever again.
The show is inspired by the true story of the man who became known as ‘Ireland’s most polite bank robber’ and The Irish Independent podcast of the same name.
Shore and Highmore, who worked together for seven seasons on The Good Doctor, are non-writing executive producers alongside Claire Londy for Alfresco Pictures and Erin Gunn for ShoreZ.
“We weren’t quite done with each other after all,” said the duo. “We’re thrilled to be collaborating again, excited to return to Canada alongside our partners at Bell and Blink49 Studios, and grateful for Sony’s continued support. And now we have to get to work.”
Lauren Stein, exec vice president and head of creative at SPT, added that the creatives shared “a unique ability to create richly layered characters who are imperfect, complicated, and deeply relatable, the kind of characters audiences genuinely care about.”
Justin Stockman, vice president of global content at Bell Media, said: “Freddie’s ability to embody complex characters is second to none, and we’re delighted to collaborate with celebrated Canadian creative, David Shore, on our first-ever project with Sony Pictures Television.”
John Morayniss, chief exec at Blink49 Studios, added that Shore and Highmore had created “a truly compelling and emotionally complex series with enormous international potential.”
Highmore is represented by Artist’s Rights Group (ARG), Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Toczek Suddleson and is currently under a first look deal at SPT through his Alfresco Pictures banner.
Shore is represented by CAA (Chris Silbermann), The Shuman Company (Larry Shuman) and Bill Sobel.
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