South Park Renewed Through 2019

NEW YORK: Comedy Central has given the go-ahead to three additional seasons of South Park, keeping the hit animated series on the network through 2019.

The order will bring the longest running prime-time scripted series on cable to an episode count of 304, over 23 seasons. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone will continue to write, direct and edit every episode. In related news, South Park Digital Studios, which Parker and Stone established with Viacom, has extended its deal with Hulu. The online platform will have access to all the additional seasons. It is the exclusive U.S. streaming home for the show, which premiered on Comedy Central in 1997.

"Nearly two decades later, South Park today remains as important and influential as any series on any platform and has become one of the most recognizable brands to ever come out of television,” said Doug Herzog, the president of Viacom Music & Entertainment Group. “Through South Park Digital Studios we will continue to aggressively expand the reach of the South Park brand by pursuing additional extensions and licensing opportunities worldwide.”

Michele Ganeless, the president of Comedy Central, added, “South Park remains the bedrock of Comedy Central and we are thrilled that new episodes will continue to entertain audiences for years to come. The series remains as urgent and relevant now as the day it premiered and at nearly 20 seasons in, it continues to draw generations of new fans.”

Said Parker and Stone: “We love working for Doug and with everyone at Comedy Central. They’ve given us an insane level of artistic and creative freedom for almost 20 years. They walk the walk.”