Red Rock Season 4 BAI Funding Secured

The producers of Red Rock have secured €300,000 for the 4 season of the TV3 show from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. The BAI have agreed to fund 30 new episodes of TV3's Drama amid concerns that TV3 is ready to pull the plug on the show. The funding represents 20% of the total funding required for 30 more episodes, however producers have been working on a 2 part series finale to be shown next year.

The series began airing in 2015 when TV3 lost the rights to Coronation Street and Emmerdale to UTV Ireland. In 2017 TV3 took control of UTV Ireland and the ITV soaps returned to the ailing channel, with viewers also returning in droves.

The series as been received well by critics and fans, with sales to both Hulu and the BBC.

Initially airing Wednesday and Thursday nights it moved to an hour long Monday night episode in 2017. The series took a break and was due to return to TV3 in September however executives decided to move the end of series 3 to 2018, with 23 episodes remaining.

TV3 have all but said the show has been axed, keeping their hand close to their chest they've suggested the series may return if audience figures improve. The series had around 150,000 adult viewers, in comparison to Coronation Street's 400,000 adult viewers.

The BAI also announced funding for programming across Radio and TV with the use of the TV license fee. Other TV drama to get funding include:-

Rear Earth by Bandit Films for RTÉ One - €350,000

Sea Fever by Fantastic Films for RTÉ One - €100,000

Send In The Clowns by Fastnet Film for TV3 - €100,000

Living With a Fairy by Gmarsh Productions for RTÉjr - €100,000

Happy Dead by Playground Pictures for UNKNOWN - €200,000

Drop Dead Weird 2 - Telegael Teo for RTÉjr - €400,000

Young Offenders - Vico Films for RTÉ2 - €50,000