FREEFORM TO PREMIERE NEW SEASONS OF AWARD-WINNING DRAMA SERIES 'THE FOSTERS' AND 'SWITCHED AT BIRTH' ON JANUARY 31, 2017

These Series Join Previously Announced January Premieres for Fan Favorite 'Shadowhunters' and New Sci-Fi Series 'Beyond'

Freeform today announced its winter premiere dates for "The Fosters" and "Switched at Birth." These series join previously announced January premieres for "Shadowhunters" and "Beyond."

The critically acclaimed family drama, "The Fosters," returns with new episodes on TUESDAY, JANUARY 31 at 8:00 p.m. EST. As the fourth season of "The Fosters" continues, the show picks up from the summer cliffhanger finale that left several family members in peril. The series stars Teri Polo, Sherri Saum, Hayden Byerly, Noah Centineo, David Lambert, Maia Mitchell, Danny Nucci and Cierra Ramirez.

The fifth and final season of "Switched at Birth," premieres on TUESDAY, JANUARY 31 at 9:00 p.m. EST. The Peabody Award-winning family drama explores blended families and deaf culture, with an array of deaf and hard-of-hearing actors, and includes scenes shot entirely in American Sign Language (ASL). A groundbreaking all-ASL episode aired in March 2013. The final season will include the topical issue of campus race relations -- culminating with an episode told from the perspective of several African-American characters -- and the milestone 100th episode of the series. "Switched at Birth" stars Katie Leclerc, Vanessa Marano, Constance Marie, D.W. Moffett, Lea Thompson and Lucas Grabeel with guest stars Sean Berdy and Marlee Matlin.

SUMMARY OF FREEFORM'S WINTER SCHEDULE:

Monday, January 2, 2017, 8:00 - 9:00 P.M. EST - Season two premiere of "Shadowhunters"

Monday, January 2, 2017, 9:00 - 11:00 P.M. EST - Special two-hour series premiere of "Beyond"

Tuesday, January 31, 2017, 8:00 - 9:00 P.M. EST - Winter premiere of "The Fosters"

Tuesday, January 31, 2017, 9:00 - 10:00 P.M. EST - Season five premiere of "Switched at Birth"

About Freeform

Part of the Disney|ABC Television Group, Freeform connects to audiences and goes beyond entertainment with bold original programming and immersive social engagement. The network delivers a unique mix of quality original and acquired series, plus fan favorite movies and the holiday events "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas." The Freeform app is a service that allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on-demand access via a wide array of devices.