SHOWTIME(R) PICKS UP A NINTH SEASON OF ITS HIT SERIES "SHAMELESS"

Network Renews Its No. 1 Comedy With Season Premiere Up 50 Percent Year-Over-Year

LOS ANGELES - November 8, 2017 - On the heels of Sunday's eighth season premiere, which delivered 50 percent year-over-year growth, SHOWTIME has given a ninth season order to SHAMELESS. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc.

One of the network's longest-running and most successful series ever, SHAMELESS ranks as the network's No. 1 comedy and attracts the youngest-skewing audience of any SHOWTIME series. SHAMELESS had its biggest season yet last fall with 6.5 million viewers tuning in each week. The series returned this past Sunday with its highest-rated premiere since its third season and up 50 percent versus the season seven premiere. Production on season nine of SHAMELESS will begin in 2018.

SHAMELESS also provided a fantastic and compatible lead-in to the network's new comedy SMILF, which debuted as the highest-rated SHOWTIME freshman comedy series in five years.

"As challenging as it can be for any show simply to maintain viewers in the current TV landscape, SHAMELESS is adding them in droves," Nevins said. "But it's no mystery why. The series' reputation for rich and resonant characters and for deep - and deeply twisted - comedy has drawn not only faithful longtime viewers, but a steadily growing audience. And creatively, the season that kicked off this past Sunday is stronger than ever."

"We are so grateful to SHOWTIME for giving us the opportunity to continue making SHAMELESS," said series executive producer and showrunner John Wells. "It's a labor of love (and a blast) for all of us."

SHAMELESS stars Oscar(R) nominee and Emmy(R) and SAG Award(R) winner William H. Macy and Golden Globe(R) nominee Emmy Rossum. Created by Paul Abbott, SHAMELESS is produced by Bonanza Productions in association with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Developed for American television by John Wells, the series is executive produced by Wells, Nancy M. Pimental and Sheila Callaghan.

Season eight finds the Gallaghers on an upswing - Frank (Macy) comes out of a drug-induced haze and decides it's finally time to be a contributing member of society. Fiona (Rossum) faces hard decisions when she discovers her success as a landlord might mean someone else's misfortune. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) struggles with unexpected sacrifices he must make to stay sober, while Ian (Cameron Monaghan) takes up a cause in hopes of getting back with Trevor (Elliot Fletcher). Debbie (Emma Kenney) builds her future at welding school while juggling life as a single working mom, as Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) gets creative finding tuition money after he loses his scholarship. Meanwhile, Liam (Christian Isaiah) discovers just how different the Gallaghers are from the families of his rich classmates as Frank schools him on "sticking it to the man." Kev (Steve Howey) and V (Shanola Hampton) have to find a way to deal with Svetlana (Isidora Goreshter) after she steals their bar, The Alibi.

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