One of Australia’s biggest true crime podcasts is heading for television, with Paramount Australia moving ahead on an adaptation of Who the Hell is Hamish?.
The acclaimed podcast is understood to be in pre-production at Jungle Entertainment, with the project expected to form part of Paramount+ Australia’s local content slate.
The production company is behind acclaimed Australian series including Mr Inbetween, Wakefield, Population 11 and No Activity, while its current slate also includes Stan’s Sunny Nights and Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of My Brilliant Career.
Originally created and hosted by Greg Bearup for The Australian, Who the Hell is Hamish? became one of Australia’s biggest podcast success stories, earning multiple industry awards while attracting millions of downloads and building a strong international audience.
Its international following could also position the television adaptation for overseas sales.
The series is expected to dramatise the story of serial conman Hamish McLaren, who used multiple aliases over three decades while convincing victims he was everything from a financier and barrister to a professional athlete.
McLaren was sentenced in 2019 after pleading guilty to fraud offences and was released from prison last month after serving nine years.
Paramount Australia is yet to formally announce the project, with casting, creative talent and an official release timeline still under wraps.
