Skins drama gets two more series

The current cast members will be replaced

Popular teen drama series Skins has been commissioned for a further two series, E4 has announced.

A new cast will be selected for series five and six. Open auditions will take place in London and Bristol in April, ready for filming in the summer.

Channel 4's head of drama Camilla Campbell said replacing the cast every two years made Skins a "truly distinctive show".

The first episode of the current series attracted 1.2m viewers in January.

The Bristol-based show, which follows the lives of a group of troubled teenagers, helped launch the careers of Nicholas Hoult, who recently starred in A Single Man and Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel.

Since the show began in 2007, it has explored several hard-hitting storylines including personality disorders, substance abuse and death.

"Skins has always been about new talent, both on and off screen, and the decision to recast the series every two years is one of the reasons Skins stands out," Ms Campbell said.

"Now another group of teenagers will have the rare opportunity to be part of a British drama series that says something about their lives and is one of the most exciting shows on television.

"I can't wait to find out who they will be."

The current series ends its run next week.