BBC America picks up 'Who' season five

BBC America has picked up the US rights to air the upcoming fifth season of Doctor Who, it has been announced.

The new run, which sees Matt Smith take over from David Tennant in the lead role, is currently being filmed in Cardiff, Wales.

The thirteen-episode fifth season will air on BBC America and BBC America HD in Q2 2010 shortly after its UK premiere.

The network also confirmed that its recent screening of Torchwood: Children Of Earth reached a cumulative 3.3 million viewers (live + SD) over its broadcast week at the end of July, making it BBC America's most successful ever series. The subsequent broadcast of Doctor Who: Planet Of The Dead brought in 657,000 viewers.