TLC has renewed five original series, including sophomore runs for Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta and Strange Sex.
The network ordered 18 new installments of Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, which places viewers inside a bridal salon, where southern belles search for their perfect wedding dress, from NorthSouth Productions; they are expected to debut next summer.
TLC also picked up 10 more half hours of Strange Sex, which examines mysterious conditions and the science behind sexual attraction, from Sirens Media, with an eye toward starting the new season in April.
The Discovery Communications service is also bringing back Four Weddings and I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant, as well as Toddlers and Tiaras, which averaged 1.4 million watchers this summer.
Toddlers and Tiaras, Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta (1.3 million) and Strange Sex (1.2 million) were among 17 shows that averaged 1 million viewers or more in summer 2010, the most of any cable network, according to TLC officials.
Billed under the title "TLC Summer" that list was headed by Kate Plus 8, which averaged 2.9 million viewers and American Chopper with 2.6 million.
Moreover, Cake Boss (1.8 million), Little People Big World (1.7 million), LA Ink (1.5 million), 19 Kids and Counting (1.4 million), Police Women of Memphis (1.3 million), The Little Couple (1.2 million), DC Cupcakes (1.2 million), Say Yes to the Dress (1.2 million), BBQ Pitmasters (1.2 million) and Fabulous Cakes (1.1 million), plus Hoarding: Buried Alive and Mall Cops: Mall of America (1.1 million apiece) also crossed that milestone, according to Nielsen data.
TLC officials said the network counted more primetime series premieres of that measure than any other ad-supported cable network, topping HGTV (13), Food Network(11) A&E (11), Bravo (nine), E! (seven), TBS (seven), USA (seven); and TNT (seven).
