London, UK – 5th October, 2021

V11

FederationUK today announced that Sarah Phelps is set to adapt Jackie Collins’ New York Times best-seller Lovers & Gamblers as a major new television series.  Phelps will executive produce alongside FederationUK’s Polly Williams and Arielle Gottlieb.

First published in 1977, the novel examines the harrowing void of greed and complex ideas around; self-determination, success, fame, independence and intimacy.  It is a story that lingers, asking questions that demands answers, long after that final page has been sped read.

Sarah Phelps, says, “Lovers & Gamblers is a searing scabrous masterpiece.  It tells a story of roadside zoos, cults, beauty pageants, poverty and exploitation, sex, drugs and rock and roll.  Jackie Collins was ahead of her time, her unflinching eye trained mercilessly on the filthy machinations of politics and power and how the seeds are sown for our own post-truth chaos.  Lovers & Gamblers is about flawed, damaged people who will do anything, absolutely anything to get to the top and asks what the hell happens to you once you’ve got there. It’s dark, it’s shocking, it is brutally, savagely funny but ultimately, it’s a story about redemption and love.”

Polly Williams, Managing Director and Arielle Gottlieb, Creative Director, FederationUK, said:

“We both devoured Jackie Collins’s books when we were young women, so when Sarah Phelps told us Lovers & Gamblers was one of her favourite novels, the idea of bringing these two extraordinary female creators together was absolutely thrilling.  It finally feels like it’s the right time for people to take Jackie Collins and women’s popular fiction seriously. We can’t wait for Sarah to breathe fresh life into an extraordinary cast of characters and we can’t think of anyone more perfect than Sarah to show the world how smart, perceptive and still relevant Lovers & Gamblers is.”

Rory Green, Jackie Collins’ daughter added: “When we first met Sarah Phelps my sisters and I were completely blown away by the ferocity of her passion for Lovers & Gamblers, one of our mother’s most epic and exciting sagas. Together with Polly Williams and Arielle Gottlieb at FederationUK, these three formidable women share our vision of taking the Jackie Collins experience from the page to the screen, with all the thrill, fabulousness and forward feminist thinking that epitomizes our mother’s narrative power…”

Executive Produced by Polly Williams and Arielle Gottlieb for FederationUK, the series is based on the book by Jackie Collins, will be written and executive produced by Sarah Phelps and co-produced with eOne.

Pascal Breton and Lionel Uzan’s Federation Entertainment, the production company behind Canal Plus’ cult spy series The Bureau, is extending its reach to the UK. The prolific indie player is partnering with former eOne Head of Scripted, UK, Polly Williams and former eOne VP of Scripted, UK, Arielle Gottlieb to launch a new London-based production outfit FederationUK.

Williams, who will serve as Managing Director and Gottlieb as Creative Director, will focus on working with premium drama creators to create ambitious English-language content for a global audience. The duo will also aim to bring more female-led content to the Federation slate.

The new venture currently has a slate of high-profile projects in development, which are expected to be announced shortly. The company will develop, produce and invest in drama for TV and film and will offer flexibility for creators beyond the traditional in-house production model.  Beyond its home grown projects, the company is actively eyeing co-productions, co-financing and distribution opportunities.

FederationUK will handle international sales. The Jackie Collins Estate is represented by UTA who negotiated the deal.

Lovers & Gamblers was published in 1977.