Lark Rise To Candleford writer Bill Gallagher has penned a new three-part romantic comedy for ITV1.
The commercial broadcaster has commissioned 3 x 60-minute drama Love Life, which will be made by Scott & Bailey producer Red Production Company.
It is one of Gallagher’s first major projects since the BBC announced that it wanted to “quit while it was ahead” with Lark Rise earlier this year. The drama will focus on the faltering relationship between Cheshire couple Joe and Lucy.
The pair are thrown into turmoil after Lucy hints she is ready to settle down, sending commitment-phobic Joe running for the airport to travel the world. He returns to find Lucy pregnant and entangled in an affair with her married boss Dominic.
The drama will unravel by shifting between present day and flashbacks from the previous 12 months.
- Title: Love Life
- Producer: Red Production | Company
- Length: 3 x 60 mins
- Script: Bill Gallagher
- Commissioners: Laura Mackie, Sally Haynes
ITV director of drama Laura Mackie has made no secret of her desire to add a romantic comedy to her slate and said Love Life - which she ordered alongside drama controller Sally Haynes - would be “tender” and “warm” in tone. “[Gallagher] analyses how good people come to terms with the trials of love,” Mackie said.
“It’s going to be a painful and heart-wrenching journey, but it’s a romantic comedy so there’s lots of moments that will make you smile,” added executive producer and Red chief executive Nicola Shindler.
Gallagher added: “A tussle over a baby is a good way of looking at modern parenting and modern love.”
It will be Gallagher’s first project for ITV since the ill-fated remake of The Prisoner last year, which averaged 1.6 million (7%).
He is also working on an adaptation of Emile Zola’s The Ladies’ Paradise for BBC1.
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