"C" IS FOR CELEBRATE! SHOWTIME(R) PICKS UP A THIRD SEASON OF "THE BIG C"

LOS ANGELES, CA - (September 1, 2011) - As the powerful second season of THE BIG C draws to a shocking conclusion on Monday, September 26th, SHOWTIME has picked up a third season of the critically-acclaimed comedy series starring Laura Linney as a reserved, suburban wife/mother/teacher whose terminal cancer diagnosis forces her to shake up her life and find the light side of a dark situation. Ten new episodes will go into production starting early next year for debut in the second quarter of 2012. THE BIG C is created and written by Darlene Hunt, who serves as executive producer, along with showrunner Jenny Bicks, Laura Linney, Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. It is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

THE BIG C stars Laura Linney in her Golden Globe(R) Award-winning and Emmy(R)-nominated role as Cathy Jamison. This season, Cathy progressed from Denial to Anger on the grief cycle and has become an all-out warrior in the fight against her Stage 4 melanoma, while her husband, Paul (Oliver Platt), stepped up to become her greatest advocate and treatment "cancierge." She's joined in her fight by her new oncologist, Dr. Atticus Sherman (special guest appearance by Alan Alda), and charming new buddy Lee (special guest appearance by Hugh Dancy), a fellow patient in an experimental clinical trial. Meanwhile, son Adam (Gabriel Basso) sparks an odd friendship with an eccentric older woman (special guest appearance by Parker Posey), and Andrea (special guest star Gabourey Sidibe) finds love with Paul's co-worker Myk (guest star Boyd Hollbrook). Sean (John Benjamin Hickey), now living in Marlene's (special guest star Phyllis Somerville) old house, prepares for impending fatherhood as he rides the emotional rollercoaster that is Rebecca's (special guest star Cynthia Nixon) pregnancy.