Escapade Media has finalized an agreement with the newly established Mermaid Pictures for two of its in-development projects: Wedding Dancers (10x52’), an unscripted entertainment format, and Deadly Messages (8x60’), a fresh take on the cosy crime genre. Escapade will introduce both returnable titles at MIPCOM next month.
Mermaid Pictures was co-founded by Creative UK Female Founders alumni Sara Gibbings (Producer – Welcome to Wrexham) and Jo Southwell (Director – Call The Midwife) to develop and produce their collaborative slate. With an emphasis on impactful narratives for both domestic and global viewers, Mermaid Pictures supports female and under-represented talent, celebrating regional voices and diversity.
Natalie Lawley of Escapade Media said: “Jo Southwell and Sara Gibbings are an impressive creative duo, and Escapade is proud to collaborate with them. Having already engaged with several leading clients, we are generating strong interest in these projects, which respond directly to the trends and requirements of current buyers and commissioners.”
Jo Southwell and Sara Gibbings of Mermaid Pictures added: “We are thrilled to unveil Wedding Dancers and Deadly Messages at MIPCOM in partnership with Escapade Media. We are already in talks with exciting talent and look forward to sharing more updates soon.”
In Wedding Dancers, renowned choreographers team up with couples and their wedding parties to design tailor-made routines that elevate their big day with dazzling performances, culminating in a dance-off at a spectacular destination venue. Inspired by a viral online trend, Wedding Dancers epitomizes family-inclusive entertainment.
Deadly Messages, written by Omar Khan (Hollyoaks) and directed by Jo Southwell (Call the Midwife), is an 8-part returning crime series centered on Pushpa Babbar, a former Delhi investigator turned UK social media personality. She reopens unsolved cases discovered online, blending her intuitive Eastern insights with Western investigative techniques. Deadly Messages injects a vibrant twist into the cosy crime tradition: a quick-witted, glamorous South Asian heroine with a sharp sense for mysteries and a fearless voice.
