ITV Studios-backed production company Poison Pen has announced the appointment of Fern McCauley as Head of Development, effective immediately.

New Role for Experienced Executive

McCauley transitions into the role after previously serving as Head of IP Acquisitions at Poison Pen. In her new position, she will collaborate with founder Ben Stephenson to oversee development across both the London and U.S.-based teams.

Focus on Premium Drama

The company focuses on high-end premium drama production in both London and Los Angeles. This appointment comes as Poison Pen prepares to launch two new dramas on ITV later this year.

Extensive Industry Background

Prior to joining Poison Pen, McCauley was the first Head of Media Development at Hachette, overseeing film and TV rights deals across multiple publishing houses including Hodder & Stoughton and Little Brown. Before Hachette, she worked as an associate literary agent at The Artists Partnership.

Founder's Statement

“We are now four years into Poison Pen, and with two shows under our belt, I’m excited to have Fern at the helm of development,” said Ben Stephenson. “We already have a bunch of development at FX, HBO, BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon and Sky, and I’m looking forward to working with Fern across our U.K. and U.S. slates to find more poppy, authored, page-turney series for both markets.”

Stephenson further praised McCauley as “an incredible and kind executive with impeccable taste.”

McCauley's Vision

Fern McCauley expressed her enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “Heading up IP Acquisitions for Poison Pen has been an amazing experience… I’m delighted to take on the Head of Development role, helping guide Poison Pen into its next phase.”

She also highlighted her positive working relationship with Stephenson, describing him as “a brilliant, supportive, and fun person to work for.” McCauley looks forward to developing the company’s “incredibly exciting slate of screenwriters and IP” for international audiences.

Strong Production Network

Poison Pen boasts a network of world-class producers including Quay Street Productions and Mammoth Screen. The company also collaborates with international drama studios such as Cattleya and Lingo Pictures.

ITV Studios was recently recognized as Production Group of the Year at the Edinburgh TV Festival.