Two ratings winning ITV1 dramas have already won commissions to make new series later this year.

Stephen Fry is set to return to Norfolk to make a third series of Kingdom and it is back to South Africa for Stephen Tompkinson to film a fourth series of Wild at Heart.

The third series of Wild At Heart burst back onto Sunday nights with more than eight million viewers and Kingdom’s second series won nearly six million viewers.

Wild at Heart, which also starred Amanda Holden, Lucy-Jo Hudson and Hayley Mills follows the lives of British vet Danny Trevanion (Tompkinson – Prime Suspect, Marian Again, In Denial of Murder) and his family as they struggle to expand their business and get along with their neighbours in the heart of the African bush.

Created by Ashley Pharoah Wild At Heart is a Company Pictures Production for ITV1 filmed entirely on location in South Africa.

Executive producer Charlie Pattinson says: “We’re absolutely delighted Wild At Heart will be coming back for a fourth series. The show is entering a new phase in its history and there are plenty more stories to be told about life at Leopard’s Den.

“Next year we have two very exciting new cast members – a pair of baby elephants who are currently only eight weeks old!”

Kingdom follows the fortunes of Stephen Fry’s character, Peter Kingdom, an affable country solicitor in the picturesque Norfolk town of Market Shipborough. The series also stars Hermione Norris, Karl Davies, Celia Imrie, Tony Slattery and Phyllida Law.

The series, created by Simon Wheeler, and written by Alan Whiting (Wire in the Blood, Down to Earth, The Scarlet Pimpernel) Jeff Povey (EastEnders, Blue Murder, Wire in the Blood) and Guy Burt (Wire in the Blood, Diamond Geezer, Ghostboat) was filmed on location in Norfolk.

Executive producer Simon Wheeler says: “We’re really pleased to be heading back to Norfolk this summer. There are so many stories for the Kingdom family and beyond that we can’t wait to tell! “