ABC Family Renews Original Drama Switched at Birth

BURBANK: ABC Family has picked up a fifth season of the hit original drama series Switched at Birth, which is set to reach a milestone 100 episodes.

Switched at Birth explores such themes as early adulthood, blended families and deaf culture. The show is executive produced by Lizzy Weiss (Blue Crush), Paul Stupin (Dawson's Creek) and Linda Gase (ER). It currently stars Katie Leclerc, Vanessa Marano, Constance Marie, D.W. Moffett, Lea Thompson, Lucas Grabeel and Sean Berdy. The fourth season finale is slated for broadcast on October 26 at 8 p.m. on ABC Family, which will be renamed Freeform in January 2016.

"Every season Switched at Birth continues to deliver fresh, relatable story lines that tackle important social issues, reflecting what our audience experiences daily," said Karey Burke, the executive VP of programming and development. "We're excited to see where Lizzy will take these characters next."