Cult animation to return

Cult animated sitcom Family Guy is to return ­ three years after being dumped by network executives.

Creator Seth MacFarlane has confirmed that another series is due to hit American screens in 2005.

But he doesn't know whether it will return to the Fox network that axed the show, or the Cartoon Network which has been screening reruns for the past year, to impressive ratings.

He told IGN.com: "At the very least it will be on Cartoon Network, which is great, because at the end of the day, that's where we built our biggest fan base. "

The show has had a chequered history. It debut was watched by 22 million viewers and was touted as the next Simpson. But Fox moved it around the schedules and eventually dropped it after two series.

However, DVD sales maintained interest in the series, both in the States and over here, where it was screened on Sky One.

MacFarlane said: "I think that's what made them sit up and take notice and say maybe there's more money to be made off this property and this thing is not dead yet.

"Because of DVD and cable, the show has been able to build an audience that, in the past, a show could only build on a network. So it's an indication that the landscape is changing a lot."

MacFarlane ­ who also provided the voices of megalomaniacal baby Stewie, father Peter, talking dog Brian and randy neighbor Glen Quagmire ­ hopes to start work on the fourth series next month, and has approached some of the original writers.

Published: 4 Mar 2004