Pulling creator, Mountford launch Merman Films

Irish comedian and writer Sharon Horgan has launched a production company with producer Clelia Mountford.

Horgan (left) is best known for BBC Three comedy Pulling, while Mountford’s credits include Sky Arts’ Daniel Radcliffe drama A Young Doctor’s Notebook.

Mountford will be managing director of Merman Films, while Horgan will oversee all creative aspects. The latter will produce scripts with a roster of writers, focusing on comedy and drama TV series and feature films for UK, US and international markets.

Merman first launched through a coproduction deal with Zodiak Media-owned comedy indie Bwark, but will now be jointly owned by Horgan and Mountford.

Merman has scripts in development at the BBC, Channel 4, BSkyB, CBS and HBO, the company said. Further announcement are coming in following months, with plans to branch out into entertainment and other areas of content.

Horgan and Mountford met while working on the second season of IFC and Channel 4 coproduction The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, which the former starred in and the latter executive produced.

“We want to make TV and film that reflects what we love to watch; comedy that can be a little bit grown up, drama that’s not afraid to be funny,” said Horgan.

“Having spent years working with a host of amazing production companies and wonderfully creative people, I now look forward to bypassing all of that and going straight on the telly. I think that’s how it works.”

“I look forward to explaining to Sharon how television production actually works as we make shows that reflect our sensibility; challenging shows that are full of contradictions, daft and dark, often both at once,” added Mountford.