Nickelodeon Orders More SpongeBob

LOS ANGELES: Nickelodeon has greenlit 26 new episodes of the hit series SpongeBob SquarePants, bringing the total number of episodes to 178.

The new episodes will feature the original voice cast, including Tom Kenny as SpongeBob, Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick, Rodger Bumpass as Squidward, Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs and Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks. The show is seen in 171 markets in 26 languages and is the most widely distributed property in MTV Networks’ history.

The order comes on the heels of the SpongeBob Truth or Square 10th anniversary special, which drew in 7.7 million total viewers. In 2009, SpongeBob SquarePants drew more than 75 million viewers monthly and currently ranks as the number one animated series with kids 2 to 11, a position its held for more than seven consecutive years.

"After a decade on our air, SpongeBob has emerged as one of the most beloved and popular characters in television history," said Brown Johnson, the president of animation at Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group. "Audiences of all ages have fallen in love with this show and we’re delighted to be serving up additional original episodes to our viewers for many years."