Britain's ITV Orders 'Girlfriends' Season Two

LONDON –  The U.K. commercial broadcaster ITV has commissioned a second season of hit reality dating show Girlfriends, based on Israel’s Keshet Media Group's format.

our editor recommends

ITV Buys 'The Americans' For U.K. Viewers

Israel's Keshet International Sets Up U.K. Outpost

Keshet International, the worldwide distribution arm of the group, inked a deal for the network's digital channel ITV2 in the U.K.

Girlfriends spotlights three single women as they go on a nationwide search for love together. Starting with hundreds of auditions for potential mates from all ends of the country, the women must narrow down potential suitors until they find their soul mates.

PHOTOS: Midseason 2013: TV's Newest Series 

The second series, based on Keshet’s prime time dating format, will air later this year.

It has been commissioned by ITV director of digital channels and acquisitions Angela Jain and entertainment commissioner Kate Maddigan and is produced in the U.K. by production banner Studio Lambert.

The first series of Girlfriends averaged 445,000 viewers and a 1.7 percent share but regularly added a further 400,000 viewers with repeat transmissions during the week of transmission.

The peak episode of the series drew 552,000 and a 2.3 percent share, on Nov. 14, when the final installment of the eight-part series aired.

The original Israeli version of the unscripted format, which premiered in primetime on Keshet Channel 2 in October 2011, achieved an average 40.2 share, 15 percent above the time-slot average.

The season finale scored a season high viewing record with a 45.3 share, marking the episode as the highest rated non-live reality show in Israel since the Telegal ratings system was established in 1999.

Other international versions are planned for Germany, Austria, Alto Adige, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.