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It was announced today that Frank Skinner's Opinionated has been recomissioned for two further series by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two.

The critically acclaimed topical comedy show, which attracted peak ratings of 3.12 million (7.8 per cent audience share) during its successful first run, will return with the series in spring and autumn 2011.

Twelve episodes have been recommissioned by Janice Hadlow, Controller ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two, Mark Linsey, Controller Entertainment Commissioning, and Alan Tyler, Executive Editor, Entertainment.

Frank Skinner's Opinionated will see the award-winning comic return to unpick the week's most talked about stories, joined by two fellow comedians and a studio audience.

Previous guests have included Dave Gorman, Miranda Hart, Jason Manford, Lee Mack, Sarah Millican, Al Murray and Laura Solon.

Frank Skinner said: "I'm massively pleased that the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ have commissioned another two series of Opinionated. I knew my BOGOF suggestion would win them over."

Alan Tyler said: "Frank's first series proved to be a big hit with viewers across the country, with the show coming from Glasgow, Norwich, Manchester and London.

"As one of the few performers who is universally loved across the UK we're looking forward to Frank taking the show and his unique take on the week right around the country."

Frank Skinner's Opinionated is an Avalon production from Scotland for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.

Notes to Editors

"On impressive form, both in the speed of his gag-reflex – when Hart revealed that her mother had been proposed to 19 times, he cracked "that was some night" – and in a range of cultural references that would be surprising on some arts shows "… his return to chat-shows is a rare benefit of the financial crash."

Mark Lawson, The Guardian

"It's relaxed, refreshing and, because it's Frank Skinner, when it's funny it's very funny."

Jack Seale, Radio Times

Frank currently writes a weekly column for The Times, in addition to hosting his Sony Radio Academy Award-nominated Absolute Radio show every Saturday morning – whose spin-off podcasts are the most downloaded across the entire UK commercial radio network with over 4.1 million downloads.

He is president of the Johnson Society and was recently reunited with David Baddiel to exclusively present a series of shows from the World Cup in South Africa for Absolute Radio, which attracted over 3 million downloads.

In addition to all this last year, he completed the triple-extended, sell-out Credit Crunch Cabaret in London's West End, offering recession-hit Londoners the chance to see some of the biggest names in live entertainment for just £10 a ticket.

Frank's previous TV shows include The Frank Skinner Show, which is widely credited as setting the tone for the modern comedic chat show and ran for nine years, attracting 11 million viewers at its peak. With David Baddiel, Frank also created and presented.

RB