Fifth Season for Merlin

LONDON: A fifth season of the fantasy drama Merlin has been ordered by the BBC.

The fifth-season commission of Merlin, produced and created by Shine TV with FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) as distributor outside the U.K., was announced at Comic-Con yesterday. FME, which invested in the fifth season alongside BBC One, has sold the show to more than 52 broadcasters in 183 countries.

The show’s first season is currently being filmed for a fall delivery on BBC One. It was also recently announced that season four will be airing in the U.S. on Syfy in 2012.

David Ellender, the global CEO at FME, commented, “With Merlin now in 183 countries and both a fourth and fifth series underway it is a truly global brand. Consistent audience figures in each territory, a strong international fan base and a fantastic cast further cement its cross generational appeal. We are continuing to work with the best broadcasters, producers and licensing partners on this brand and look forward to its on-going success.”

Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy, the executive producers for Shine TV, said: “We are both delighted to have a fifth series commissioned and thrilled with the worldwide success of Merlin. We have some fantastic ideas in mind for the next stage of the journey and relish the chance to take the program to the next level!”