Fifth run for BBC’s Being Human

The BBC has ordered a fifth season of supernatural drama Being Human, as distributor Zodiak Rights secures repeat orders for both the original series and the US adaptation around the world.

Being Human UK

UK diginet BBC3 will air six more episodes of the show, about a vampire, werewolf and ghost who live together, in early 2013.

Produced by Zodiak Media-owned Touchpaper Television, the show was created by Toby Whithouse. BBC America will also return as coproducer for the new season.

Whithouse exec produces with Rob Pursey and Philip Trethowan for Touchpaper, and George Osmond for BBC Wales.

The new 6×60’ season was commissioned by Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC drama commissioning, and Zai Bennett, controller of BBC3.

Pursey said: “When we first made the pilot episode for Being Human we knew we had something special. But we didn’t dream we’d be making a fifth series. It’s a testament to the ambition of the writing and the performances that it’s stayed so fresh.”

The UK recommission follows a third season order (13×60’) of the US adaptation, produced by Muse Entertainment for cablenet SyFy, in February.

Meanwhile, Space TV in Canada and DBS Israel have acquired both Being Human UK season four (8×60’) and Being Human US season two (13×60’).

ABC in Australia, BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) Australia and New Zealand, UKTV in New Zealand, Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia, US VoD service Hulu, AXN in Central Europe and BBCWW Poland have all picked up season four of the UK series.

Furthermore, season two of the US series has been acquired by Network Ten in Australia, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia including AXN in Korea; MNet in South Africa; CNBC in Turkey; NBC Universal in Poland, the Balkans and CIS; AXN in Central Europe; and TET TV in Ukraine.

Jane Millichip, MD of Zodiak Rights, said: “One of the most satisfying aspects of Being Human’s success is that the UK and US versions not only co-exist but flourish internationally, often in the same territory on different networks.”