David Farnor | On 09, Apr 2019

BBC Two has bagged the UK TV rights to State of the Union, a new short-form comedy series from Nick Hornby.

Acquired from Endeavor Content, the series stars Academy Award and Bafta nominee Rosamund Pike and Bafta nominee Chris O’Dowd, with Bafta and Emmy winner Stephen Frears at the helm.

Across 10 10-minute episodes, the comedy follows Louise and Tom (Pike and O’Dowd), who meet in a pub immediately before their weekly marital therapy session. With each successive episode, we piece together how their lives were, what drew them together and what has started to pull them apart. Hornby explores the complexities of marriage with his inimitable honesty and humour.

Hornby says: “I am delighted that State Of The Union will be shown on the BBC – it’s absolutely the right place for it, and it was hard for us to imagine any other home in the UK.”

Patrick Holland, Controller, BBC Two, says: “I am so delighted to bring this to the BBC Two audience. The writing is so fantastic, the performances from Rosamund Pike and Chris O’Dowd are pitch perfect and the direction is the very best in the world. What a treat.”

Sue Deeks, Head of Programme Acquisition, BBC, adds: “Wonderfully well-written, directed and performed, State Of The Union is funny, poignant, insightful, engaging and unique. Each 10-minute episode is a polished gem.”

A See-Saw Films production for SundanceTV, the producer for See-Saw Films is Amy Jackson and Executive Producers are Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Iain Canning andbEmile Sherman, alongside Hornby and Frears.

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