BBC orders another Psychoville series

BBC Two has ordered a second series of Psychoville – plus a one-off special.

The first series, which aired this summer, contained a last-minute twist reportedly written by creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton to persuade commissioners to greenlight a second run.

If so, the ruse has paid off, as the broadcaster has today confirmed that a one-off is planned for winter next year, followed by another six-episode series in spring 2011.

The recommission was announced with a notice on Psychoville’s BBC website, saying: ‘Your next appointment at Ravenhill Hospital will be Winter 2010 with six further courses of treatment to be taken at weekly intervals from Spring 2011.’

Ravenhill Hospital was the name of the mental asylum several of the key characters attended before being blackmailed with the mysterious note ‘I know what you did…’

The first series, which starred Pemberton and Shearsmith alongside guests such as Christopher Biggins and Dawn French, averaged 1.7 million viewers a week.

Published: 19 Nov 2009