History has repeated itself once again. Showtime has given The Tudors a third season order just a few weeks after the show returned on the air for a sophomore run. The drama series loosely based on the early reign of Henry VIII has significantly surged in the ratings, prompting the network to give an early renewal to the show just like it did when the network picked up the series for a second season order in the same month of its highly successful debut, which became the highest rated series premiere of the network in three years.

Season 3, which premieres in 2009, will begin production on June 16 in Dublin, Ireland with series star Jonathan Rhys Meyers set to return as King Henry VIII.

[btv]