Wild Mercury (a Banijay UK company) – producers of critically acclaimed BBC One drama The Sixth Commandment and Prime Video international hit, The Rig – have won the rights to The Break-Up Clause by Niamh Hargan, with plans to adapt it into a TV series.

The second novel by Hargan follows 30-year-old Fia, an Irish-born corporate lawyer working in an upmarket New York law firm, who’s been given a new intern to supervise over the summer.  The only problem? Ten years ago, on a wild night out in Vegas, Fia got accidentally married to someone she barely knew (and didn’t particularly like). They both agreed to get back in touch exactly one year later to officially divorce…but Fia never heard from him again.

And now Benjamin, her new intern, and her secret still-husband, is standing in her office.

With a promotion on the cards if Fia can stick this out, the pair have no choice but to pretend they know nothing about each other.

But as their relationship starts to heat up, it’s a secret that will get harder to keep.

Derek Wax, MD of Wild Mercury, said:

“The team and I instantly engaged with Niamh’s smart and witty rollercoaster of a novel. It’s an unpredictable and layered story, bursting with character and warmth and it’s a project we’re all delighted to be working on.”

Niamh Hargan added:

“It’s been a huge dream to see The Break-Up Clause come to life on screen, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with Wild Mercury on this adaptation. I’ve found such brilliant partners in Derek, Frances, Jess and the whole Wild Mercury team. Their enthusiasm for the project shone through from the outset, and I’m so excited for all that’s ahead.”

Wild Mercury was set up by Managing Director, Derek Wax to develop and produce bold, irreverent, imaginative stories for UK and US broadcasters, in creative collaboration with the most original writers working in drama and comedy. Alongside the first series of The Rig, currently on Amazon Prime, their critically acclaimed true crime mini-series The Sixth Commandment has recently broadcast on BBC One. Previous work includes the Channel 4/AMC hit Humans and Troy, Fall of A City for BBC/Netflix, both co-produced with Kudos.

The option deal for The Break-Up Clause was brokered by Anna Weguelin on behalf of Sheila Crowley and Sabhbh Curran at the Curtis Brown Group.