NBC alum Paul Telegdy & ex-BBCS exec link for Falklands War drama

Paul Telegdy

Former NBC Entertainment chairman Paul Telegdy has unveiled the first project to emerge from his nascent production firm, with the show set to explore the Falklands/Malvinas War of 1982.

Telegdy set up his label, The Whole Spiel, with cousin Stefan Telegdy late last year and it is now working on The Islands, which is being put in front of networks and streamers.

The 10-parter is being produced with Lone Wolf Pictures, the company set up by former BBC exec Stephen McDonough in 2019, and Infinity Hill. The latter was set up by Axel Kuschevatzky, Phin Glynn and Cindy Teperman, with bases in LA, London and Buenos Aires.

The show will tell the story of the conflict from a variety of people who were affected, including soldiers on both sides but also civilians, such as stranded French sailors and two female natural history filmmakers. Argentine writer Sebastian Rotstein (El Presidente) is attached, with UK-based scribes also set to contribute.

Rights to an array of books on the subject have also been acquired as source material, while military consultants such as Max Hastings and Simon Jenkins have also been attached.

Kuschevatzky said: “This war had an everlasting impact on my homeland, Argentina, in social and political terms.

“We feel the need to tell this properly through the view of the people who faced an unthinkable and unparalleled experience. Our biggest challenge is to do something no one else has done before: to create an authentic, dramatic story embracing both perspectives of such defining moment in time.”

Telegdy departed NBC in 2020 after an internal investigation following allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he denied.