HISTORY® Greenlights Hit Drama Series Vikings for a Fifth Season

GOLDEN GLOBE^® AWARD WINNER JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS JOINS THE CAST

NETWORK ORDERS 20 EPISODES TO AIR IN 2017

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NEW YORK and TORONTO, March 17, 2016 /CNW/ - HISTORY announced today that it has renewed a 20-episode fifth season of Canada's #1 specialty entertainment series Vikings^[1]. Golden Globe^® Award winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors, Roots) joins the cast for season five.

"We're tremendously proud of this Canadian-Irish original production that continues to raise the bar with talented storytelling," said Christine Shipton, Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Shaw Media. "Today we are thrilled to promise our fans another incredible, super-sized season of Vikings."

Since its inaugural premiere in 2013, Vikings has maintained its reign as the #1 specialty entertainment program across multiple demos^[1]. With three weeks of confirmed data for season four, the blockbuster series is currently averaging 437.1 AMA (A25-54) and 859.2 AMA (Ind2+)^[2]. In its three years on air, Vikings has earned six Canadian Screen Awards including Best International Drama two years in a row and Best Visual Effects for three consecutive years.

Season five of Vikings will begin production this summer to air in 2017.

From creator and sole writer Michael Hirst (Academy Award® winning film Elizabeth and the Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominated series The Tudors), Vikings is a family saga that tells the remarkable tales of the lives and epic adventures of the raiders and explorers of the Dark Ages.

New episodes of season four of Vikings currently air every Thursday at 10pm ET/PT, with an additional ten episodes scheduled to air later this year. In Thursday's upcoming episode, Ragnar confides in Yidu his darkest secret. In Wessex, Ecbert agrees to support Kwenthrith in Mercia, but is Ecbert a true ally? Pregnancy brings happiness to Lagertha and Kalf and a marriage is arranged. Watch a sneak peek of the episode here: bit.ly/1Va1mFu.

Fans can catch up on the exciting first three seasons of Vikings on shomi and iTunes, and the third season is available on HISTORY on Demand, history.ca, and the HISTORY Go app. The first four episodes of season four are available on history.ca and the HISTORY Go app, where new episodes will be available the day after broadcast.        

Hirst serves as executive producer along with Morgan O'Sullivan of World 2000 (The Count of Monte Cristo, The Tudors), Sheila Hockin (Penny Dreadful, The Tudors, The Borgias), John Weber of Take 5 Productions (The Tudors, The Borgias), Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer and James Flynn (The Tudors, The Borgias).

Vikings is an international Irish/Canadian co-production by World 2000 and Take 5 Productions. HISTORY broadcasts both domestically in Canada and in the U.S. MGM Television is the worldwide distributor outside of Ireland and Canada. Vikings is produced in association with Shaw Media. 

[1] Source: Numeris PPM Confirmed Data. 3+ airings. (2/25/13-3/6/16). Total Canada.* Adults 18-49 & 25-54, Males 18-49 & 25-54 (excluding sports).
[2] Source: Numeris PPM Confirmed Data. (2/18/16-3/6/16). Thurs 10p-11p. Total Canada

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Website: history.ca/vikings/ 
Twitter: @HistoryTVCanada | #Vikings
Facebook: facebook.com/HistoryCanada

HISTORY is a Shaw Media Network.

About Shaw Communications
Shaw is a leading pure-play connectivity provider focused on delivering superior consumer and business broadband communications over its wireline, WiFi and wireless infrastructure. Shaw serves consumers with broadband Internet, WiFi, video and digital phone. Shaw Business Network Services provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony, video and fleet tracking services. WIND provides wireless services in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. Shaw Business Infrastructure Services provides enterprises colocation, cloud and managed services through ViaWest. Shaw Media provides Canadians with engaging programming content through one of Canada's largest conventional television networks and 19 specialty networks. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX - SJR.B, NYSE - SJR). For more information, please visit www.shaw.ca.

SOURCE Shaw Media

Cathy Kurzbock, Shaw Media, 416-966-7507, [email protected]; Greg Fast, Shaw Media, 416-966-7747, [email protected]