FREMANTLE BRINGS WRITER AND PRODUCER KIRK ELLIS ONBOARD FOR “BIBI”

Global production and distribution company Fremantle has signed- award-winning producer Kirk Ellis as a writer for its new high-end TV series “Bibi,” based on the personal and political life of Benjamin Netanyahu. The series is being produced by Abot Hameiri, a Fremantle company, and adapted from journalist Ben Caspit’s “The Netanyahu Years,” a bestselling biography of the figure colloquially known as Bibi.

Ellis is the acclaimed producer and writer behind the "John Adams" event series for Tom Hanks and HBO, which holds the record for most Emmy wins by a programme in a single year with a total of 13 awards. He also adapted David McCullough’s “1776,” as well as James Ellroy’s “American Tabloid,” both for HBO.

“Kirk Ellis’s track record speaks for itself, so we’re delighted that he is joining this unique project. The series is the biggest IP we can deliver out of Israel today to the world, and with Kirk’s esteemed catalogue of work, particularly in exploring the lives of high-profile figures, it makes him a perfect addition to this series looking at one of the most influential figures in modern geo-politics,”  said Guy Hameiri, Co-founder of Abot Hameiri.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the most complex figures in modern history,”  Ellis commented. “His is a life lived on a Shakespearean scale. Ben Caspit’s insightful reporting demonstrates how private life always shapes public affairs, and there’s no shortage of conflict – or opinions – when it comes to Benjamin Netanyahu. I’m thrilled and honoured to be working with Guy and the entire Abot Hameiri team to bring this story to life,”  he added.