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BBC Two orders another series of Rev

Rev., the hit BBC Two sitcom about the daily frustrations and moral conflicts of inner-city vicar Adam Smallbone, has been awarded a third series.

Kenton Allen, the Executive Producer on the show, confirmed the news to US trade magazine Variety. However, the bad news for fans of the comedy is that due to the many other commitments of the cast the next series won't be filmed until autumn 2013, for broadcast in 2014.

Allen said: "Such is the brilliance of the Rev cast that getting everyone back together for further adventures is always challenging. But I'm delighted that we've managed to get Adam and his congregation back into church for what I hope will be an extraordinary third season of a show that is extremely special for all those involved."

It is expected that all the regular cast will return for the next series, with James Wood remaining as lead writer, and Peep Show's Sam Bain acting as Script Editor.

Tom Hollander, who plays the central character of Adam Smallbone in the show, is currently busy with a number of movie commitments. Meanwhile Olivia Colman, who plays Adam's put-upon wife Alex, is in huge demand. Having just finished Olympics-based sitcom Twenty Twelve, she is now working on a number of other comedy projects, including the new Nick Frost movie Cuban Fury. Colman, who will shortly be seen in new comedy Bad Sugar, will also from later this month begin filming Broadchurch, a major new ITV drama series co-starring David Tennant.

Rev has been recommissioned by BBC Two controller Janice Hadlow. The news has been expected for a while, as the series has been a big hit with viewers - both those with and without faith. The show has also won a string of prestigious awards for the BBC, including most recently a haul of four Broadcasting Press Guild awards. The programme is also now establishing a fan base in America, with Variety reporting that Rev is proving popular with Americans via online service Hulu.

Hadlow said today: "We're absolutely delighted to have Rev. back on the channel. It's one of the real comedy jewels in BBC Two's crown."

Aside from many positive press comments, real-life vicars have made it clear they support the series, despite the fact it often focuses on the fallibility of the central character. When The Guardian newspaper asked a number of practicing vicars what they thought of the show, it concluded: "What all our Revs agree on is that as a snapshot of a certain area of their work, it's pretty much bang on - from the needy parishioners to the fact that they're just, well, normal men who have a drink sometimes and find their day-to-day jobs rewarding, but hugely challenging."

Rev is made by Big Talk Productions, which is currently going through a very successful period. The company is currently working on comedy projects for most broadcasters. Aside from Rev, it is producing another series of Him & Her for the BBC; a sitcom called The Job Lot for ITV1, another series of Friday Night Dinner for Channel 4, more episodes of Threesome for Comedy Central, and a full series of Chickens for Sky.

Here's a clip from the last series of Rev, which was broadcast in November and December. It observes the sinister Archdeacon Robert acting quite out of character:

Our Guide to 'Rev.'

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