The mother-of-two, from from Dungannon in Co Tyrone
‘Peru Two’ drug mule Michaella McCollum, 25, is in talks with a production company to bring her story to the small screen with a Narcos-like TV show based on her book
Peru Two drug mule Michaella McCollum is set to cash in after holding talks about a TV series based on her book about her criminal past.
The glamorous 25-year-old has been busy forging a new career since leaving jail in Peru three years ago and has been juggling meetings with being a mother to twin boys.
She was set to release her book House of Women last year detailing her time in the hellhole prison in South America before the publication was delayed.
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Drugs smuggler Michaella McCollum is set to coin it in after holding talks about a TV series based on her book about her criminal past
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The duo were seized at Lima airport with 11kg of the Class A drug in their suitcases as they tried to check-in for a flight to Spain
The mother-of-two, from Dungannon in Co Tyrone, has now met with a TV production company in London to discuss ambitious plans to take her story to the small screen – with the prospect of releasing her book to coincide with it.ADVERTISING
And if all goes to plan, Ms McCollum is set to make thousands from the Narco-like series and become ‘very rich from it’.
A well-placed source said: ‘True crime dramas have never been more successful and companies are always looking for the next one.
‘There is huge demand, real life is often stranger than fiction. Think Netflix series Narcos, based on druglord Pablo Escobar, or The People vs OJ Simpson.
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She was set to release her book House of Women last year detailing her time in the hellhole prison in South America before the publication was delayed
‘Danny Boyle directed Trust about the Getty kidnap, earlier this year the ITV series Manhunt was big, starring Martin Clunes as the man who brought serial killer Levi Bellfield to justice.
‘The book Manhunt by the cop who got Bellfield (Colin Sutton) was timed to come out at the same time for maximum impact. If Michaella does the same she could make a fortune.
‘The series also ran back to back on consecutive nights. You are seeing now that with mini-series drama they are rolled out over a week as we have a binge-watch and box set generation now.
‘You can go on Netflix and consume a whole series as quick as you like and true crime drama is huge right now – but there are very few based on women.
‘That will be a major hand to play for Michaella – a young attractive woman finds herself involved in the world of international drug trafficking and ends up languishing in a grotty Peru prison. It’s a great story, what’s not to like?
‘The book, a TV series, modelling, a spoken word tour – there is the potential there for Michaella to make thousands and get very rich from it.’