Peter Ackroyd’s Queer City optioned for TV

Peter Ackroyd’s latest non-fiction Queer City (Chatto and Windus), looking at London through the history and experiences of its gay population, has been optioned by Two Halves Pictures for television.

Lucy Fawcett from Sheil Land Associates negotiated the TV rights for Queer City: Gay London from the Romans to the Present Day with the production company.

Two Halves Pictures is a new independent production company with backing from All3Media, established by producers Gina Cronk and Richard Bedser. Their credits respectively include "The White Queen" for the BBC and "Gettysburg".

Fawcett said: "Gina and Richard’s television adaptation proposal for Peter’s book was extremely exciting and I am thrilled Peter’s book found a home with producers of their calibre."

Cronk and Bedser said: "Peter’s research is incredible, historical characters that could be found in London today leap from the page - he has uncovered a whole side of our history that is heart-breaking, hilarious and triumphant, but has never been told before. We’re very excited to have Queer City on our slate."