ITV is to bring family drama Primeval back for two new series, despite announcing in June this year that it had no plans to continue with the show after its third outing.
The new series will be shown from 2011, and are being made as a co-production between ITV, UKTV and producers Impossible Pictures.
As part of the deal, premieres of series four and five will be split between ITV1 and new entertainment pay channel Watch, owned by UKTV.
ITV1 will be the first to broadcast series four early in 2011, while Watch will premiere series five later that year.
Series five will then be shown on ITV1.
Laura Mackie, ITV director of drama commissioning, said: “We’re delighted to have agreed this new deal with Impossible to return Primeval to ITV1. The innovative nature of this partnership will allow the show to maintain its high production values and deliver the fantastic programme that our viewers know and love.”
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