Anthony Head

Merlin producer Johnny Capps has revealed that the show’s fourth series will run for thirteen weeks.

It was announced in October last year that the fantasy drama would return to BBC One for ten new episodes.

However, Capps recently told SFX: "There was talk there would be 10 [episodes] but there will be 13. We were very lucky with series three [because] it was hugely successful and we built our audience throughout, so I think the BBC now sees [Merlin] as one of their most important Autumn dramas, especially for a Saturday night."

He also confirmed that the new run will open with a two-part adventure, and that the Knights of Camelot will feature prominently in future episodes.

"The knights are important characters throughout the series," he said. "They are around a lot. In series four, Camelot has changed to a certain degree. Uther is a broken man, so Arthur has to take a little bit more control."

He continued: "People are surprised that [Arthur] has given these people that aren’t of noble birth the title of knight, so there’s an interesting tension around him and his posse of knights."