Benidorm is back... and so is it's top writer!

Benidorm will return for a fifth series with Derren Litten writing more episodes. The future of the award-winning ITV1 sitcom had been in doubt after Derren announced in February that he would not be writing any more episodes beyond series four. With Derren writing some of the episodes, other top comedy writers will get the chance to write storylines for his well-loved characters, such as Madge, Noreen, Mick and Janice. The fourth series, which ended last week, was the highest rated in its history, launching with over eight million viewers. It picked up the award for Best Comedy Programme at the National Television Awards earlier this year. A spokesperson for the show said: "We're pleased to announce that your favourite holidaymakers will return for a fifth series of Benidorm that will start filming later this year. And it's been reported that Joan Collins would quite like a part in Benidorm when it returns. Author Jackie Collins revealed her sister's interest in a Twitter message to Derren. She wrote: "Benidorm is totally fab. My sis Joan Collins would love to do a guest shot on it. I got her addicted!!!"

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.