Netanyahu’s life story to be made into series ‘Bibi’
Tel Aviv-based production company to base show on best-selling biography, ‘The Netanyahu Years,’ by journalist Ben Caspit; award-winning screenwriter Kirk Ellis to pen screenplay
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the weekly cabinet meeting, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, on December 1, 2019. (Marc Israel Sellem/Pool via JTA)
JTA — Benjamin Netanyahu, the TV series, is coming.
“Bibi,” the longtime Israeli prime minister’s ubiquitous nickname, will be based on the bestselling biography “The Netanyahu Years” written by veteran Israeli journalist Ben Caspit, Variety reported Thursday.
The series is set to be produced by Tel Aviv-based production company Abot Hameiri, a Fremantle company, which is best known for producing Israeli versions of “X-Factor,” “America’s Got Talent,” “The Bachelor,” and “Survivor,” and is now behind the Israeli television show “Shtisel.”
Award-winning screenwriter Kirk Ellis has been hired to write the screenplay.
Kirk Ellis, co-executive producer, holds the award for the outstanding miniseries ‘John Adams’ at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, in Los Angeles, September 21, 2008. (Reed Saxon/AP)
“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,” Ellis said in a statement, according to Variety.
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Ellis won two Emmys as writer and co-executive producer on David McCullough’s “John Adams” biography for HBO.
“Bibi” will be the first television series about Netanyahu, who has been Israel’s prime minister since 2009. He previously served in the post from 1996 to 1999.
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